Online research

Research! Its easy to find lots of information, quickly, on the internet. When a non-fiction book is published the information is checked to make sure its correct. A website can be published by anyone, without any checking to make sure the information is accurate.

Wait!

Before you use the internet to get information, you need to be media smart, and ask yourself some researcher questions:

Who created this? Was it a company? Was it an individual? (If so, who?) Was it a comedian? Was it an artist? Was it an anonymous source? Why do you think that?
Why did they make it? Was it to inform you of something that happened in the world (for example, a news story)? Was it to change your mind or behavior (an opinion essay or a how-to)? Was it to make you laugh (a funny meme)? Was it to get you to buy something (an ad)? Why do you think that?
Who is the message for? Is it for kids? Grown-ups? Girls? Boys? People who share a particular interest? Why do you think that?
How is this message credible or believable? Does it have statistics from a reputable source? Does it contain quotes from a real subject expert (not just someone doing a voiceover)? Is there direct evidence of the ideas presented? Why do you think that?
What details were left out, and why? Is the information balanced with different views -- or does it present only one side? Do you need more information to fully understand the message? Why do you think that?
How did the message make you feel? Do you think others might feel the same way? Would everyone feel the same, or would certain people disagree with you? Why do you think that?
How old is this information? Could it be out of date? Look for a publication date, often at the bottom of a webpage
Give Credit! If you use information from any source (like a website, or a book) you must say where it came from and who made it. You can do it in a Bibliography (a list of all the places you got information and their authors and web addresses) and in your writing: "According to Dr. Jane Smith from National Geographic (2019) all whales are mammals"