Recognizing Online Propaganda, Bias, and Advertising

Cambridge Educational

While their motives aren’t always evil, people who bend the truth don’t usually do so for the greater good, either. The online world is no exception—in fact, it’s a paradise for purveyors of hype, pseudo-journalism, and intellectual snake oil. This video explores ways to identify bias and propaganda on the Internet and sift through the various influences, such as political or corporate interests, that may be behind some Web content. Spotlighting key aspects of propaganda and bias-driven writing, such as the use of glittering generalities, name-calling, or card-stacking, the program also presents important tips for differentiating between advertising and genuinely useful, scholarly material—a task made increasingly difficult by cleverly disguised sponsorship. Web savvy is further developed through discussions of URL suffixes (.com, .org, etc.) and what they indicate. Part of the series Internet Research and Information Literacy: Effective Strategies and Cautionary Tales. A viewable/printable instructor’s guide is available online. A Cambridge Educational Production. (21 minutes)

Effective Internet Search: Basic Tools and Advanced Strategies

Cambridge Educational

Formed decades ago from a small pool of data sources, the Internet has grown into a seemingly endless ocean of information—in which today’s young researcher can easily get lost. This video introduces strategic, study-related online search methods that teenage or college-level viewers may not be familiar with, especially if they’re accustomed to the more recreational side of the Internet. Outlining ways to formulate initial questions about a topic, the program offers examples of frequently used search engines (from Google to specialized databases) and how to take advantage of them using keywords, quotation marks, Boolean operators, nesting, wildcard and truncation symbols, and other typed-in directives. Result-oriented topics are also featured, including the differences between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources; the best criteria for confirming the legitimacy of a particular Web site; and helpful techniques for searching within a site. Part of the series Internet Research and Information Literacy: Effective Strategies and Cautionary Tales. A viewable/printable instructor’s guide is available online. A Cambridge Educational Production. (22 minutes)