FYS 100 Libguide: Midterm

FYS Information Literacy -  Evaluating Your Sources

Midterm Assignment (Fake News)

Due: by start of next class

Points possible: 50

Topic: Misinformation, Disinformation, Fake News, and the Impact on Democracy 

Directions: Open a blank Word document, save it as Last name First name FYS Midterm, and complete all 4 sections below.

Part I - Read 

Using the links below, open and read the three online articles about confirmation bias, fake news, and misinformation.

Part II - Read and write

Using the web browser of your choice, search the open internet for one webpage on misinformation, disinformation, and/or fake news, and their impact on democracy.

• Introduce the source by giving the title of the webpage or online article, and the search terms you used to find it, plus a brief reason for why you selected it.

• Read, summarize, and evaluate the webpage using the APPLY steps of the IF I APPLY Source Evaluation Tool. 

  • Include three things that you learned from the source.

  • Your summary and evaluation should be between 200-300 words, in 12-point font, double-spaced. 

• Include the APA citation for the webpage at the bottom of the page.

  • Use this APA Style Resource on citing a webpage if you need help: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples/webpage-website-references

Part III - Read and write

Using the MU Libraries Summon search box found on the library’s homepage (https://www.marshall.edu/library/) find one scholarly or peer-reviewed article or eBook chapter on misinformation, disinformation, and/or fake news, and their impact on democracy.

• Introduce the source by giving the title of article or book chapter, and the search terms you used to find it, plus a brief reason for why you selected it.
• Read, summarize, and evaluate the article or boo chapter using the APPLY steps of the IF I APPLY Source Evaluation Tool.
  • Include three things that you learned from the source.  
  • Your summary and evaluation should be between 200-300 words, in 12-point font, double-spaced. 
• Include the APA citation for the article or book chapter at the bottom of the page.  
  • Use this APA Style Resource on citing an article from a database: https://apastyle.apa.org/style-grammar-guidelines/references/examples

Part IV - Write

First, explain why evaluating your information for trustworthiness is important to both your academic life and your personal life. 

Then, think back to the last few days. Were there any instances of confirmation bias that you encountered in social media, news reports, conversations, etc.? What were they? Did this assignment make you think of such instances in a different way? How so?

• Your summary/reflection should be between 350-400 words, in 12-point font, double-spaced.