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It explained in the quiz that information literacy and digital literacy both require critical thinking skills. I was not surprised that it requires critical thinking skills but I also believe it can have more skills such as organizational skills, as you need good organization for both information and digital literacy. What do you think?

-Kelsey M

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Verify your info by checking multiple trusted sources so you can spot misinformation = lateral reading! Be smart, Be a Skeptic!

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When Aesthetics Deceive: The Credibility Trap of Web Design

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When Aesthetics Deceive: The Credibility Trap of Web Design

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I was surprised by how many people, including those with higher levels of education, assumed a website was credible simply because of its design and overall aesthetic. The assumption that a professional-looking layout, high-quality images, or polished branding automatically signals accuracy reveals how visual presentation can influence our perception of trustworthiness. This highlights the importance of teaching digital literacy and critical evaluation skills, especially in an age where misinformation can be packaged just as attractively as legitimate content.

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This week helped me understand the deeper meaning of information and digital literacy. I learned how important it is to check the credibility of sources, not just by reading what's on the website but by comparing it with other trusted sources, something called lateral reading.

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This week helped me understand the deeper meaning of information and digital literacy. I learned how important it is to check the credibility of sources, not just by reading what's on the website but by comparing it with other trusted sources, something called lateral reading.

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Tuba Fiskin

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This week helped me realize how easily we can be misled online and how important it is to slow down, think critically, and look beyond the surface of a design. I learned that fact checking does not have to be perfect, but being more intentional and aware of source motivations can make a big difference in how I engage with digital information.

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I found it interesting the so many people were mislead by sites based off the websites appearance. This is a mistake I could have seen myself making prior to taking this course.

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This week made me realize how easy it is to be misled online without even noticing. I never used to question sources, but learning about lateral reading and fact-checking showed me how important it is to slow down and think critically. I was also surprised by how much our own and the creator’s perspectives can shape what we see.

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I was reminded this week that, we need to always remember to fact check and not always believe the first thing we can see and hear. With AI in today's world it makes it easier to forget this extremely important step. Even AI has the potential to be wrong. Thus, reinforcing that its imperative we always fact check.

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I realized that even though I may believe I know how to identify reliable/credible sources, my personal worldview may be affecting the sources I am looking at and keeping me from crossing political boundaries. Though this may not directly affect the credibility of my sources it may be holding me back from getting a wider variety of information that would give my information further contexts.

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As someone who constantly has to remind their grandmother not to click questionable links, it doesn't surprise me how little people check their resources. If I can't find multiple sources stating the same if not relevant information I quickly write the information off as unfactual.

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I used to believe that everything on the net was accurate and accept it with any investigation. However, I learned the importance of checking the information and its credibility. You can’t just trust anything nor you deny everything. From this week's module, I learned the strategy which provides a valuable insight about the credibility and objectives of the content provider.

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This week helped me understand that we shouldn’t trust information just because it looks professional or comes from a nice-looking website. I learned how to use lateral reading to check if something is true by looking at other trusted sources. I also found it helpful to learn the difference between misinformation and disinformation. Now, before I believe or share anything online, I stop and ask myself where the information came from and why it was posted. These skills are very useful not just for school, but also in daily life.

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It can be so easy to get caught up in misinformation and disinformation as social media continuously grows. The importance of checking multiple sources and tabs, finding where all information has come from, and the credibility that it holds. Lateral reading can be a major impact on evaluating websites and finding the credibility through multiple sources.

-Kristen

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Finding reliable and credible sources that do not provide or support disinformation is vital when doing research. This week taught me not only various strategies to find credible sources but also how to understand them and cite them. It is important when using these sources to also ensure that the sources are credible thus further supporting disinformation and encouraging critical thinking as a student.

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In Week 3, I learned how easy it is to be tricked by information that looks true but isn’t. Lateral reading taught me to verify facts by checking multiple sources instead of relying on just one. I also saw why using APA citations properly matters to give credit to others and keep my research honest. The main takeaway for me is that good research isn’t just about finding information; it’s about making sure that information is reliable.

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My central takeaways for week 3 is that whenever you are looking for accurate information on the internet, you should always fact check any resource you encounter. Specifically, you should approach any resource by asking 3 fact checking questions, which are who is behind the information, what claims the source as credible, and what does other information say about that information. Basically, do not describe a website as being credible based on its design, but rather by verifying the facts presented on a website.

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Week 3 has taught me the importance of always checking your sources of information. Not everything you read or see on the internet can be reliable. In the video regarding fast tracking it was suggested to follow these three questions to help find a reliable source

1. Who is behind the information?

2. What is the evidence for their claims?

3. What do other sources say about the organization and its claims.

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I learned the key elements of lateral reading and how to use it to ensure the credibility of research.

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This weeks lesson taught me to always be fact checking your resources because not everything on the internet is true!! Fact checking can make sure your sources are credible and reliable, which is so important when writing papers.

-Meah Lafontaine

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Crash Course Navigating Digital Information-

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Crash Course Navigating Digital Information-

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It taught me the important of checking sources because false and misleading information spreads quickly online. Also, Misinformation and disinformation can circulate online rapidly, so checking its credibility is important.

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The point made throughout these videos that stood out to me the most was how the quality of the information we continue to consume directly affects the quality of the decisions we make in our lives. This is so important to constantly be aware of because we consume so much information online each day with often no proof of it being true.

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As the world of technology and media grows, it is increasingly important to verify your facts. There is lots of fake news out there so you can't believe everything you see or hear. When fact checking it is important to ask yourself three questions: 1. Who is behind the information? 2. What is the evidence for their claims? 3. What do other sources say about the organization and its claims?

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The videos I watched this week about information and digital literacy really made me more critical about the information I receive or search for on the internet. Also, with 3 children that use the internet for school and entertainment, it is not easy to monitor and make sure that my kids are using the internet in a safe and healthy manner. Fact checking seems to be a topic I would like to be more verse in.

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I know that articles can have bias' but to see how the video laid out what to look for and hidden clues to what certain agendas could be, I found this very fascinating! There were a couple tips and tricks that I never would have thought to do and I will be more mindful moving forward!

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A great reminder to check your sources! 

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A great reminder to check your sources! 

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This module provided a valuable reminder that it's essential to verify the sources used for assignments and information.

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I found this week interesting in digital literacy and will share this learning with my children

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I think this week has opened my brain to a different side of research, don't take the first article so seriously, it's okay to explore. When thinking about credibility, if it sounds good it's probably right, if there's a big word, it's probably smart, I can admit prior to this I didn't really focus on credibility. Now, knowing how important it is to fact check and cross-examine, this is definitely something I will be paying more attention to in the future.

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This week really highlighted for me looking at the quality of information. So much information, good and bad, is so readily available at our fingertips throughout the day. It is scary to really reflect on what we are taking in daily. This week was a great reminder of the need to really evaluate and think critically when exploring new sources. I really enjoyed the emphasis on cross-checking. Julie Martin

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Week 3 has focused on digital tools and how to fact-check certain websites. This allows you to use safe and credible websites. Which is the lateral reading steps to ensure a website is credible? Additionally, it was about critical thinking and how you can use it.

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We learned how to find and use digital information safely and wisely, as well as how to evaluate and utilize information correctly in an academic setting. Along with critical thinking, we also need lateral reading skills to cross-check the facts across sources. I also got an understanding of the difference between academic and non-academic content. Additionally, gained awareness of how personal backgrounds and beliefs can influence digital media.

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I've learned from this week's reading how important it is to verify your facts with other trustworthy resources, rather than relying solely on one source. I have learned that even the more aesthetically pleasing webpage can be misleading, and it is always important to check and compare the info with other resources.

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The key takeaway that I learned in week 3 was learning how to determine if a resource is reliable and credible. This can be done in multiple tactics, such as comparing a new resource to previously used resource that was confirmed to be credible. Through this, you can contrast the differences between the websites, and compare what may be similar; this process can assist in addressing the authority of a resource and its insurance in providing accurate information.

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I guess I never gave it much thought that news reporters, or other online platforms that share information have the power to share stories in bias manners. Sharing facts that lead you to believe their narrative, without forming your own opinions based on the straight facts. It was a good reflection week, that makes you stop and think how we present and interpret information.

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Emily Petrarca

My key takeaway from this weeks material was the importance of fact checking. I learned the importance of checking through multiple cites to ensure that the information is reliable. It is important to also check to make sure the resource is reliable like a government or university source.

A question I have is why are fact checkers more reliable then other people like students and university.

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This week’s lesson on digital literacy completely shifted how I think about online information. I used to trust digital platforms without question — assuming that if something was online, it must be reliable. But now I realize how important it is to slow down and think critically about the information we consume. Three strategies stood out to me: Lateral reading — checking multiple sources before trusting a claim. Being skeptical — not taking things at face value. Asking “Who is behind the information?” — understanding the source’s intent and bias. These aren’t just academic tools — they’re lifelong skills. I never used to question the credibility of online content, but now I see how easily misinformation can spread and how our own biases can shape what we believe. This week taught me that digital literacy isn’t just about using technology — it’s about navigating it wisely. Critical thinking is essential, and I’m grateful to have learned how to apply it in the digital world.

Suhani suhani

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Because the generation of artificial intelligence is growing tremendously fast and fake information is now appearing to look very real. I would like to know what extra steps we can do now in order to avoid AI information.

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A key takeaway from this week's content for me is ensuring that I don't base my opinions off appearance. Additionally, understanding how easily disinformation can be turned into misinformation and spread affecting even a community as a whole was eye opening. Simple things like people faking a Google review can lead to the spread of misinformation.

Something I wonder is what are other trusted academic resources other than our OMNI library that would be acceptable to use in research papers?

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From this reading, I learned that information and digital literacy go beyond simply knowing how to use technology. They require strong critical thinking skills to evaluate sources, make informed decisions, and use information responsibly.

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One takeaway from the module and the video was the importance of analyzing and thinking critically about websites. The breakdown of the two pediatric associations (the AAP and the ACP) and their websites, and how they both look like viable sources, but one is actually a socially conservative advocacy group that formed due to conflicting views on the LGBTQ+ community's ability to adopt. Seeing that a site promoting an extremely biased (and potentially harmful) opinion can appear to be an informative and reliable source is alarming and underscores the importance of lateral reading.

Lateral reading goes beyond what the website says about its creators and is like a reference check. It's like when you start a new class, read about the teacher, and then ask your peers more questions. Or when you apply for a job, and provide your references.

I had assumed that the current world was extremely skeptical about what they read online, and I was surprised that many high school students couldn't tell an ad from a source. There's a lot of generational bias that older (boomer) people have poor digital literacy and are more likely to be scammed online. I now feel that that is a media portrayal, which may also just be an uninformed opinion.

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Lateral Reading

One takeaway from the module and the video was the importance of analyzing and thinking critically about websites. The breakdown of the two pediatric associations (the AAP and the ACP) and their websites, and how they both look like viable sources, but one is actually a socially conservative advocacy group that formed due to conflicting views on the LGBTQ+ community's ability to adopt. Seeing that a site promoting an extremely biased (and potentially harmful) opinion can appear to be an informative and reliable source is alarming and underscores the importance of lateral reading.

Lateral reading goes beyond what the website says about its creators and is like a reference check. It's like when you start a new class, read about the teacher, and then ask your peers more questions. Or when you apply for a job, and provide your references.

I had assumed that the current world was extremely skeptical about what they read online, and I was surprised that many high school students couldn't tell an ad from a source. There's a lot of generational bias that older (boomer) people have poor digital literacy and are more likely to be scammed online. I now feel that that is a media portrayal, which may also just be an uninformed opinion.

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To be Misinformed or Disinformed; that is the question. 

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To be Misinformed or Disinformed; that is the question. 

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This week's content, I enjoyed the emphasis to interrogate the sources we come across online and to gauge the credibility by utilizing the three questions of fact checking; who is behind this information, what is the evidence for their claims, and what do other sources say about the organization and its claim?

It is so easy to be misinformed and disinformed. Online platforms allow us to have a voice, but the freedom of opinion through these platforms has no limit and everyone makes claims as fact, however can be their opinion.

The importance of lateral reading and cross checking safeguards us by seeking if it is fact or otherwise. While doing that, we learn a new fact!

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One of my key learnings from Week 3 is the importance of lateral reading and cross-checking information across multiple sources instead of relying on just one website. I also learned that information literacy focuses on locating, evaluating, and using information effectively, while digital literacy focuses more on navigating and using digital tools. Another important takeaway is that accessibility, positionality, and bias all influence how information is created and interpreted.

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This week was a great learning opportunity about checking credentials and fact-checking resources. With us writing so many academic papers, it is important that we understand how to ensure our resources are correct. What are the author's credentials? Does this information align with other resources? Is there any bias?

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This weeks learning went hand in hand with an assignment that was due in another course that required 10 OMNI sources. There were many articles printed, skimmed and read, and I was very grateful for the "Peer Reviewed" filter in the OMNI searches.

In a time where there is SO much digital media out there, and things are posted SO quickly, it truly is important to CHECK the FACTS! Which also is a great mental health check when one is doing DBT and the cognitive distortions are out of control.

Lateral Reading makes life so much easier since having more than one tab open at a time is easy on most devices, and this step can save you a lot of heartache in the end.

Christine Killing (I don't know why it says anonymous)

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Digital literacy teaches us how to understand and evaluate news and information that is available online. We need to be digitally literate and always ask questions to verify the source of the news. Fact-checking is a key skill of digital literacy. Fact-checking is important as it tells us if the information is reliable and true. Anyone can post a misleading, biased or fake news piece. We should always fact-check and make informed decisions before forwarding or spreading anything we hear on the internet. The steps I learnt from the course content that professional fact checkers use are that, firstly, they investigate who is behind the claim. Who is sharing the information? Is it factual or an opinion statement? Secondly, is there any proof given for the claim? It is a reputable source or just a random blog. What was the information-gathering method used? Lastly, I will check multiple sources to verify the claim, for example, what other reliable sources are saying about this claim.

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I learned that digital literacy involves developing the skills needed to effectively use digital technologies and platforms. This includes choosing and using appropriate software, engaging thoughtfully with online content, and protecting personal information in digital environments.

Zoe T.

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I loved the videos from John Greene and thought they were incredibly informative, especially for older students. Digital literacy is so incredibly important. Confirmation bias has been really central to the online discourse we face lately, and healthy skepticism is something we've lost. It's not enough to immediately write off something we don't agree with (and vice versa, to give something the green check because it strengthens our convictions). Check your sources often and not just how "nice" their website looks. The story about Steve the steel seller was particularly poignant and will stick with me because it's something I see regularly in the health and wellness space (my previous work background). Someone makes an outlandish claim and the "miracle" is found within their website, on sale! No evidence given by the person, and nothing found when lateral reading and cross-checking. It's great to see this talked about more.

-Dianna C

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I really liked this course material because it helped me improve my knowledge of writing, information, and technology, and also helped me understand those specific parts.

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this week was a great reminder to fact check when you are looking at online resources. Reading through week 3, talking about lateral reading, information literacy and digital literacy, gives me the opportunity to reflect on my process when finding resources, looking at online text and deciding if I think information is reliable and valid, and when it needs to be double checked.

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Assessing Design Elements is Not Fact Checking

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Assessing Design Elements is Not Fact Checking

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I was very surprised to learn how many people (including professors) decided whether a source was credible based on a website's design elements. I expect this type of "fact-checking" from young children, but not from highly educated individuals. Lateral reading is a valuable skill and is useful when completing research.

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"The sheer existence of evidence is not enough to verify a claim."

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"The sheer existence of evidence is not enough to verify a claim."

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This highlights the importance of being intentional and responsible when engaging with information. We must be careful not to share content without critically examining it, and equally cautious about accepting what we read or see online without verifying its accuracy. Simply finding evidence that confirms what we already believe is not enough; true critical thinking requires the discomfort and courage to question whether our own beliefs are valid or in need of unlearning.

This was an eye-opening reminder that not all “evidence” is inherently credible. It is essential to examine the source, context, and reliability of information—even when it aligns with our assumptions. I appreciated how Mr. Green emphasized skeptical thinking, noting that a healthy dose of skepticism strengthens our critical thinking skills and sharpens our judgment.

At the same time, while the absence of evidence may give us reason to question a claim, it should not discourage us from seeking multiple credible sources to verify it. Thoughtful inquiry requires balance: being open-minded, yet discerning; questioning, yet committed to truth-seeking.

Farhath

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From this week's activity, I realized that to double-check of any information we see to check if it is true or not, because we shouldn't trust any information we see immediately without figuring out whether it is true or not.

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A key learning is the difference between information literacy and digital literacy. While they are both essential for the "information-rich" society, information literacy specifically targets the skills to "locate, evaluate, and use information effectively," whereas digital literacy focuses on the technical skills to "navigate and utilize digital technologies," such as software and online security

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One of my main takeaways from Week 3 is that finding information while thinking critically about where it comes from is an important part of information literacy. I also learned strategies such as lateral reading, which helps me verify information by checking multiple sources rather than relying on a single source. In addition, bias can affect the information presented on a website, as it may be filtered through the creator’s perspective. That is why it is important for me now to consider who created the content.

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is that finding information while thinking critically about where it comes from is an important part of information literacy.

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My highlights of my learning in Week 3 are:

What is information literacy

Difference between Misinformation and Disinformation

Definition of Lateral Reading

Learning about these topics is crucial in academic, professional and personal success.

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Feeling good about fact checking, lateral reading, information and digital literacy. If you didn't know, now you should ya'll. I learned a lot of new things in this module. Now to apply it to the rest of the semester!

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One of my main takeaways from Week 3 is that information literacy is not just about finding sources, but about thinking critically and questioning where information comes from. I also better understand the difference between information and digital literacy. Lateral reading stood out to me because it showed how important it is to check multiple sources instead of trusting just one.

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One of my main takeaways from Week 3 is that information literacy is not just about finding sources, but about thinking critically and questioning where information comes from. I also better understand the difference between information and digital literacy. Lateral reading stood out to me because it showed how important it is to check multiple sources instead of trusting just one.

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I still wonder how to evaluate sources carefully while managing time during busy weeks.

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This week reminded me not to judge a book by its cover. Just because a website looks nice doesn’t mean the information on it is credible. I was reminded to check who is behind the information and whether the evidence is actually backed up. As a future educator, I want to model this for my students so they understand the importance of evaluating information critically.

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Week 3 really shifted how I think about research and online information. I used to see research as mainly gathering enough sources to support an argument, but now I see it more as a process of questioning, refining and evaluating. The idea that authority is contextual stood out to me because it reminded me that credibility depends on the situation and the purpose of the information. Not every source is meant for the same audience, and that matters when choosing what to use in academic work.

The information timeline was also eye-opening. I had never thought about how the speed of publication affects depth and reliability. Social media may provide immediate updates but scholarly articles take time because they require investigation, evidence and review. That helped me understand why different assignments require different types of sources.

At this point in the course, I am wondering how to become more efficient with lateral reading. It makes sense to cross-check information and open new tabs, but in a fast-paced digital environment it can feel overwhelming. I would like to develop a strategy that allows me to be thorough without slowing down my entire research process.

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I made a personal reflection after learning this weeks content and questioned where I believe I was the strongest and where I need improvement in my literacy skills. I find information literacy more of a struggle than digital literacy. I feel the process of locating and evaluating information is a lot harder than navigating digital technologies.

I believe this may be due to growing up using technology espcailly when learning. In later years, I relied so heavily on making sure I was capable of functioning on these digital platforms and technologies. However, the information literacy aspect relies on you to dig in some cases and feels intimidating due to the vast amount of information that is out there.

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I really liked knowing exactly what lateral reading was because it's something I've done before without knowing! In the age of misinformation and rage baiting, I've found it incredibly needed and warranted to have to fact check a lot of written pieces and articles now, so seeing that there's an actual name to my mad endeavor of figuring out the truth is very nice.