Search online for the author and or/ organization. Open a new tab!

Does the author have relevant experience, advanced degrees, or work in the field?

What type of organization is publishing this information? 

Is it a university, non-profit, or an advocacy group? Consider the type of organization it is and how that might influence the content.

Search other sources online to check claims and information. 

Is the information provided accurate? 

Is the information current and up-to-date? 

Is there a bibliography, citations, or links to back up each claim or argument?

What did they hope to accomplish by creating the information? 

Was it meant to inform, persuade, entertain, or sell something? 

Information can serve various purposes. Understanding the purpose helps you identify potential biases or hidden agendas behind the information.

Everyone has a worldview, which is to say that everyone has a way of seeing reality through their life experiences.

Recognizing this helps you see why others might view things differently, without assuming they are wrong.

To effectively investigate information, consider these questions:

• What might make the author/source see it this way?

• What makes me react/respond to this the way that am?

• If I am attracted or repulsed by an idea or information, is it because the information itself is good bad? reliable or not? Or does it threaten something I value?

It may or may not change your mind, but it can help your own ideas take shape as less biased, more balanced, and increasingly effective.