Evaluating Websites: It's Your Job
Learning Target: I can successfully and independently use CARP to evaluate websites to decide whether I can use them for my purposes.
The CARP Test:
Currency: How recent is the information?
Author or Authority: Does the information come from experts?
Reliability: Is the information accurate and unbiased?
Purpose: What is the reason for the information?
Handout: The CARP Test worksheet
Resources for Evaluating Political Issues and Candidates' Claims
Party Websites:
Republican Party:
http://www.rnc.org
Democratic Party
http://www.democrats.org
Fact Checking Political Statements:
1. Factcheck.org
http://www.factcheck.org/
Their mission:
We are a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.
FactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The APPC was established by publisher and philanthropist Walter Annenberg to create a community of scholars within the University of Pennsylvania that would address public policy issues at the local, state and federal levels.
2. Politifact
http://www.politifact.com/
A PROJECT Of the Tampa Bay Times
PolitiFact is an independent fact-checking journalism website aimed at bringing you the truth in politics. PolitiFact's reporters and editors fact-check statements from the White House, Congress, candidates, advocacy groups and more, rating claims for accuracy on our Truth-O-Meter. Every fact-check includes analysis of the claim, an explanation of our reasoning and a list of links to all our sources.
Their explanation of their Truth O Meter has lots of information to consider when evaluating political statements
http://www.politifact.com/truth-o-meter/article/2013/nov/01/principles-politifact-punditfact-and-truth-o-meter/
3. Washington Post Fact-Checker
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/fact-checker/
This column first appeared during the 2008 campaign and The Washington Post revived it as a permanent feature at the start of 2011.
We will not be bound by the antics of the presidential campaign season, but will focus on any statements by political figures and government officials–in the United States and abroad–that cry out for fact-checking. It’s a big world out there, and so we will rely on readers to ask questions and point out statements that need to be checked.
4. On The Issues:
http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm
Our mission is to provide non-partisan information for voters in the Presidential election, so that votes can be based on issues rather than on personalities and popularity. We get our information daily from newspapers, speeches, press releases and the Internet--it is a labor-intensive process that requires countless volunteer hours.
5. VoteSmart
http://votesmart.org/
Since Project Vote Smart was inaugurated in 1992, we have offered special services and programs for political journalists to enhance their coverage of politics and elections. The Project partners with more than 300 national, state, and local news organizations, all endorsing Project programs. In addition to comprehensive databases on more than 40,000 candidates and incumbents, the Project provides journalists with special research services and publications. We devote considerable effort to researching information about all candidates for presidential, congressional, gubernatorial and state legislative office and elected officials. Voters thus have access to unbiased information on candidates as well as those serving in elected positions.
Fact Checking Social Media Stories
~Snopes
http://www.snopes.com
The snopes.com website was founded by Barbara and David Mikkelson, who live and work in theLos Angeles area. What they began in 1995 as an expression of their shared interest in researching urban legends has since grown into what is widely regarded by folklorists, journalists, and laypersons alike as one of the World Wide Web's essential resources. Snopes.com is routinely included in annual "Best of the Web" lists and has been the recipient of two Webby awards. The Mikkelsons have made multiple appearances as guests on national news programs such as 20/20, ABC World News, CNN Sunday Morning, and NPR's All Things Considered, and they and their work have been profiled in numerous major news publications, including The New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, The Washington Post,The Wall Street Journal, and an April 2009 Reader's Digest feature ("The Rumor Detectives") published as part of that magazine's "Your America: Inspiring People and Stories" series.
Just for Fun
Explore these hoax websites:
Bonus Challenge: Test your skills on one of these pages:
Reflection: Think about the lesson of the past two days and answer the following questions:
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