Middle school research

Resources

Citing Sources

Research Skills

🔎 FINDING CREDIBLE SOURCES ✅

EVALUATING A SOURCE - IS IT C.R.A.A.P.?

⚖️ MEDIA LITERACY 📰

🔎 FINDING CREDIBLE SOURCES ✅

Evaluating Resources with CRAAP

(Shake Library, 2022) Permissions: Youtube Terms of Service

Where to Find Resources:

The library's collection of databases
Library non-fiction and reference books

Where NOT to Find Resources:

Google search
Wikipedia

Why? Because they have not been evaluated for accuracy and are more likely to be unreliable.

EVALUATING A SOURCE - IS IT C.R.A.A.P.?

Ask yourself the following questions as you do your research:

Is it Current?

When was it published? Has it been updated? Do the links still work?

Is it Relevant?

Does this information relate to your topic? Is the language to technical or too simple? Have I looked at a variety of sources to determine which is the best for my needs?

Is it Authoritative?

Who is the author/publisher/sponsor? Is the author qualified to write on the topic? Is there contact information? What does the URL reveal about the source (.com .edu .gov)?

Is it Accurate?

Are the original sources cited? Can I verify this information? Has it been independently reviewed? Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion? Are there grammar errors or typos?

What is its Purpose?

What is the purpose of the information (to inform, teach, sell, entertain or persuade)? Do the authors/sponsors make their purpose/biases clear? Does the point of view appear objective and impartial (is it fact, opinion, or propoganda)? Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional or personal biases?

CRAAP Test originally created by Sarah Blakeslee (2010), CC by 4.0

⚖️ MEDIA LITERACY 📰

WHAT IS MEDIA LITERACY? ☂️

Media literacy is an umbrella term that refers to the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, create and participate with media in all forms by understanding the role of media in society, and building the skills of inquiry and self-expression that are essential to participation and collaboration in a democratic society. (Media Literacy Now, 2024)

📚 Information literacy is the ability to locate, evaluate, and effectively use information when needed (Media Literacy Now, 2024).

🧑‍💻 Digital citizenship is the use of media literacy skills to participate in the public sphere using communications technology while upholding the standards of appropriate, responsible, and healthy online behavior (Media Literacy Now, 2024).

💻 Digital literacy is applying media literacy skills when using digital technology to create, send, and take in information and messages and to develop digital citizenship (Media Literacy Now, 2024).

Link to video: How Do I Navigate Information on Social Media?

Digital and media literacy are essential

skills in the digital age.

Media literacy is the ability to identify different types of media and understand the messages they are sending. The digital age has made it easy for anyone to create media. We don't always know who created something, the reason why they made it, and whether it's credible. Understanding that reason is the basis of media literacy (Common Sense Media, 2020).

Media literacy is about:

Thinking critically - As you evaluate media, you decide if the messages make sense, why certain information was included, what wasn't included, and what the key ideas are. Then you can make up your own minds about the information.
Being a smart consumer of products and information - determine the "persuasive intent" of advertising and resist the techniques marketers use to sell products.
Recognizing point of view/bias - Every creator has a perspective. Identifying an author's point of view helps put information in context. What does the author want you to take away from a piece of media? Is it purely informative, is it trying to change your mind, is it trying to sell you something? When you understand what type of influence something has, then you can make informed choices.
Creating media responsibly - Recognizing your own point of view, saying what you want to say how you want to say it, and understanding that your messages have an impact is key to effective and responsible communication.
Identifying the role of media in our culture - From celebrity gossip to magazine covers to memes, media is telling us something, shaping our understanding of the world, and even compelling us to act or think in certain ways (Common Sense Media, 2020).

Media literacy includes asking specific questions and backing up your opinions with examples. Following media-literacy steps allows you to learn for yourself what a given piece of media is, why it was made, and what you want to think about it (Common Sense Media, 2020).

Link to video: Use Media Literacy Skills to Navigate the Misinformation Highway

Check Out These Short Videos About Different Media Literacy Skills:

H2I_Isaac_FactVOpinion_1.mp4

Separate Fact from Opinion and Satire

IsTapWaterSafeToShowerIn_ITL.mp4

How to Detect Ads Disguised as News Stories

Link to video: Lateral Reading: Even Credible Sources Can Spread Misinformation

23-01-13_Zombie-Viruses.mp4

References (APA format):

Shake Library. (2022, January 6). Evaluating Resources with CRAAP [Video]. Youtube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UST2zJjGQ4I. https://www.youtube.com/t/terms#27dc3bf5d9
Blakeslee, S. (2010, September 17). Evaluating Information – Applying the CRAAP Test. Meriam Library California State University, Chico. https://guides.lib.uchicago.edu/ld.php?content_id=77584250.
Media Literacy Now. (2024, November). Media Literacy Definitions. https://medialiteracynow.org/document/media-literacy-definitions/.
Common Sense Media. (2020, June 4). What is media literacy, and why is it important? https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/what-is-media-literacy-and-why-is-it-important.

Video Citations (APA format):

Wandel, B. (2020). How Do I Navigate Information on Social Media? [Video]. PBS Learning Media. mass.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/media-literacy-tips/srl-curriculum/?student=true. © 2020 by PBS Student Reporting Labs
Duclos, L & Wharton, Z. (2024). How2Internet: Use Media Literacy Skills to Navigate the Misinformation Highway [Video]. PBS Learning Media. mass.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/how2internet-media-literacy-misinformation-video/mediawise-student-reporting-labs/?student=true&focus=true. © 2024 by MediaWise & PBS Student Reporting Labs
Duclos, L. & Harte, I. (2024). Separate Fact from Opinion and Satire [Video]. PBS Learning Media. mass.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/how2internet-separate-fact-opinion-satire-video/mediawise-student-reporting-labs/?student=true&focus=true. © 2024 by MediaWise & PBS NewsHour
Lebeau, M. (2024). How to Detect Ads Disguised as News Stories [Video]. PBS Learning Media. https://mass.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/how-to-detect-ads-disguised-as-news-stories-video/mediawise-student-reporting-labs/. © 2024 by MediaWise & PBS NewsHour
Be MediaWise. (2024). Even Credible Sources Can Spread Misinformation [Video]. PBS Learning Media. mass.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/credible-sources-spread-misinfomation-video/credible-sources-spread-misinformation-mediawise-student-reporting-labs/?student=true&focus=true. © 2024 by MediaWise & PBS NewsHour
Chor, R. (2024). How to Check the Context of Zombie Virus Claims That Keep Coming Back to Life [Video]. PBS Learning Media. https://mass.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/how-to-check-the-context-of-zombie-virus-claims-me/video-gallery-mediawise-student-reporting-labs/?student=true. © 2024 by MediaWise & PBS NewsHour

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