Look for Previous Work
The second strategy for checking a fact, quotation or article is to look for previous work. In this section we explore tactics to find out if the fact checking work has been done by someone else.
Reliability of Wikipedia
Community volunteers edit Wikipedia, the popular online encyclopedia, and anyone is free to contribute. Many universities and academics distrust Wikipedia, yet it is one of the most popular reference sites in the world. So should we trust Wikipedia? Read the following articles:
- Seven Years after Nature, Pilot Study Compares Wikipedia Favorably to Other Encyclopedias in Three Languages. Wikimedia Blog. D. Taraborelli (Aug. 2, 2012). Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- Should University Students use Wikipedia? A. Coomer (May 13, 2013). The Guardian.
- Burger King Ad Creates Whopper of a Mess for Google Home. R. Adhikari (April 13 2017). Commerce Times.
Look for Previous Work
Read Part 2, "Look for Previous Work," of Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers M. A. Caulfield (2017). Part 2 focuses on:
- Constructing a Site Restricted Search;
- Reputable Fact-checking Sites;
- Using Wikipedia.
Last modified: Tuesday, February 12, 2019, 3:23 PM