Media and information literacy is an interrelated set of competencies that help people to maximize advantages and minimize harm in the new information, digital and communication landscapes. Media and information literacy covers competencies that enable people to critically and effectively engage with information, other forms of content, the institutions that facilitate information and diverse types of content, and the discerning use of digital technologies. Capacities in these areas are indispensable for all citizens regardless of their ages or backgrounds. -- United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)
Use the tutorials below to learn how to evaluate sources and spot bias in everyday news items.
Who
...wrote or created the information? What authority or experience do they have related to the information?
...published the information? Is it an individual? Government? Corporation? Researcher?
...owns the publication? A non-profit? A corporation? An individual?
...is the audience for the information? Students? General Public? Voters?
Why
...was this information created? To inform? Convince? Sell? Contribute new knowledge?
...the publisher(s), author(s) or creator(s) want an audience? For votes? To purchase a product? For knowledge?
Where
...was the information created (i.e. in a lab, in a news room, in a basement)?
...was the information published (i.e. on a website, in a news paper, in a scholarly journal, on a social media site)?
When
...was the information created? Is it historical or current? Does it matter for the topic?
...was the information published? Has there been enough time to fact check if needed?
What
...language is being used? Is it biased? Is it intending to influence the way you think about the topic or subject?
...sources have been cited or mentioned? Are you able to track them down? Are the sources reliable?
How
...does the information impact you? Does it make you curious? Does it upset you? Does it validate your beliefs?
...is the information distributed? Freely on the web? Behind a corporate paywall? In a book or journal paid for by the library?
