INTERNET RESEARCH AND INFORMATION LITERACY: Effective Strategies and Cautionary Tale (3 Programs)
Thanks to the Internet, a virtual cosmos of information is at our fingertips. But does more equal better when helpful and not-so-helpful content are equally abundant? How is online propaganda different from traditional propaganda? What solutions do we have to the growing problem of plagiarism? This series illustrates best practices for viewers who are learning to apply academic standards and scholarly research methods to the rapidly evolving online world. Heavy hitters from the media industry weigh in through expert interviews, while lively motion graphics help explain concepts and strategies throughout the series. In addition, each episode features three young-adult characters, brought to life through graphic novel-style animation, who struggle with and learn the right and wrong ways to navigate cyberspace.
There are three programs in the series:
EFFECTIVE INTERNET SEARCH: Basic Tools and Advanced Strategies
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. 22 minutes
**Please click here to view the trailer on YouTube
RECOGNIZING ONLINE PROPAGANDA, BIAS AND ADVERTISING
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. 21 minutes
**Please click here to view the trailer on YouTube
PLAGIARISM 2.0: Information Ethics in the Digital Age
For a generation raised on the ideology of "open source" and the ability to quickly cut and paste, the concept of plagiarism may seem foreign or passé. And that, of course, can lead to trouble. This video examines the behaviors that constitute plagiarism, their consequences, and the best ways to avoid them. Showing how accidental copying as well as willful plagiarism can occur, the program lays out the dangers of cheating, then illustrates the pitfalls of non-attribution and patch writing while showing how to properly attribute and paraphrase a lengthy quotation. Copyright, trademark, and intellectual property concepts are clearly discussed, in addition to potential sources of non-copyrighted material. Common citation formats (APA, MLA, Bluebook, etc.) are listed along with the suggestion that the student confer with his or her instructor about them. 19 minutes
*Includes PDF Instructor's Guides
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