Library Guides: Fake news: Overview

Don't forget to cite and reference your sources. For help see the Junior School or Senior School referencing guides, and / or CiteMaker.

Resource Key

When accessing content use the numbers below to guide you:

LEVEL

Brief, basic information laid out in an easy-to-read format. May use informal language. (Includes most news articles)

LEVEL

Provides additional background information and further reading. Introduces some subject-specific language.

LEVEL

Lengthy, detailed information. Frequently uses technical/subject-specific language. (Includes most analytical articles)

Quick Links

Fake News | Overview: Keywords

Click on the terms to access a simple definition from Lexico, the online Oxford Dictionary.

Bogus, Clickbait, Disinformation, Fabricate, Fictitious, Hoax, Misinformation, Mislead, Phony, Propaganda

Insert Subject | Overview: Articles

Fake news: a case of reach but not impact (Carey, 2018, January 7, p. 20)
"Fake news evolved from seedy internet sideshow to serious electoral threat so quickly that behavioural scientists had little time to answer basic questions about it, like who was reading what, how much real news they also consumed and whether targeted fact-checking efforts ever hit a target." (Carey, 2018, January 7, p. 20)
more...less...
Reference / citation: Carey (2018, January 7, p. 20) or (Carey, 2018, January 7, p. 20)
Reference list / Bibliography: Carey, B. (2018, January 7). Fake news: A case of reach but not impact [Extra]. The Age. p. 20. https://libraryedition.smedia.com.au/lib_a/SharedView.Article.aspx?href=AGE%2F2018%2F01%2F07&id=Ar02000&sk=BE3BF61C

Fake news sites are simply changing their domain name to get around Facebook fact-checkers (Binder, 2019)
Facebook has been cracking down on the fake news that gets shared on its platform. One problem: one of the biggest fake news websites has found a workaround. In order to avoid Facebook’s fact checking system, the site formerly known as YourNewsWire, one of the most well-known purveyors of fake news online, has simply rebranded. The site now goes by News Punch and posts fake news content similar to what it published under their former name, according to a report by Poynter. (Binder, 2019)
more...less...
Reference / citation: Binder (2019) or (Binder, 2019)
Reference list / Bibliography: Binder, M. (2019). Fake news sites are simply changing their domain name to get around Facebook fact-checkers. Mashable Australia. Retrieved from https://mashable.com/article/yournewswire-news-pun ch-domain-facebook-fake-news/
Fake News, Fake Data: How bad data and misleading graphs are fueling fake news. Staffers, C., & Hackett, J. (2017)
The article highlights how bad data and misleading graphs are resulting fake news. Topics discussed include rise in false articles with gripping headlines about everything such as Hillary Clinton's selling weapons to ISIS; challenges to distinguish between real news stories and sponsored content advertisement that look like news; and use of graph or mathematical data in fake news.
more...less...
Staffers, C., & Hackett, J. (2017). Fake News, Fake Data: How bad data and misleading graphs are fueling fake news. (cover story). Scholastic Math, 38(2), 8-11. Retrieved from https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=anh&AN=125158660&site=ehost-live&scope=site&authtype=sso&custid=mggsvic
Last year there were 8,164 fake news stories. (Borel, 2018)
The article reports on the plethora of misinformation, propaganda and fake news that exist on the Internet. Fake news is intentionally meant to mislead based on false, misinterpreted or manipulated facts. It can also be used by partisans to smear reputable legacy media outlets. Political scientists report that 1 in 4 Americans visited a fake news site in 2017.
more...less...
Borel, B. (2018). Last year there were 8,164 fake news stories. Popular Science, 290(2), 64-124. Retrieved from https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=anh&AN=127946282&site=ehost-live&scope=site&authtype=sso&custid=mggsvic
Seven studies about mis- and disinformation from 2017 (Dias, 217)
The year 2017 will go down as the moment when the study of mis- and disinformation on social networks took off. In 12 months, we went from learning of viral “fake news” in the US election to constructing a rich body of research about it. Thanks to this work, we have already made strides toward understanding how false and misleading content operates in our modern information ecosystems.
more...less...
First Draft is a project of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government – uses research-based methods to fight mis- and disinformation online. Additionally, it provides practical and ethical guidance in how to find, verify and publish content sourced from the social web.
Understanding and Addressing the Disinformation Ecosystem. (Singerman, 2018)
A collection of short papers prepared as part of a workshop bringing together academics, journalists, fact-checkers, technologists and funders to better understand the challenges produced by the current disinformation ecosystem
more...less...
First Draft is a project of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government – uses research-based methods to fight mis- and disinformation online. Additionally, it provides practical and ethical guidance in how to find, verify and publish content sourced from the social web.

Fake News | Overview: eBooks

Click on the following book covers to place a hold in the library catalogue or access the book online. If prompted, sign in with your School mConnect user name and password.

Deception: Real or Fake News? by Dona Herweck Rice
ISBN: 9781545733516
Publication Date: 2018
There has been a lot of talk about fake news in the news lately. Being able to spot the difference between credible and non-credible sources is a vital 21st century skill to have. Learn the tricks and traps of deception and the skills required to achieve information literacy--and always get to the truth of the matter! Packed with fun facts and detailed sidebars, this informational text explores contemporary issues and high-interest, relevant subjects. Featuring TIME© content and images, this nonfiction book has important text features such as a glossary, an index, and a table of contents to engage students in reading as they build their comprehension, vocabulary, and reading skills. The Reader's Guide and extended Try It! activity increase understanding of the material, and develop higher-order thinking. Check It Out! offers print and online resources for additional reading. Keep students reading from cover to cover with this captivating text!
Information Literacy and Fake News by Diane Dakers
ISBN: 9781427120380
Publication Date: 2018
In this age of fast-paced social media, news and views are shared throughout the world in seconds. This timely title critically examines the elements of journalism, truth and perspective, sources of news, as well as bias and objectivity to help readers make informed choices about the accuracy of news and information. Readers will gain an understanding of what journalism is and how the medium can shape the message being presented.
The Fake News Phenomenon by Duchess Harris JD
ISBN: 9781532151743
Publication Date: 2018
The 2016 US presidential election introduced a new term to the media lexicon. The Fake News Phenomenon examines the spread of bogus news sources, the reasons they exist, and the difference between media bias and "fake news." Readers are also provided with tips for how to discern the credibility of a news source. Easy-to-read text, vivid images, and helpful back matter give readers a clear look at this subject. Features include a table of contents, infographics, a glossary, additional resources, and an index. Aligned to Common Core Standards and correlated to state standards. Core Library is an imprint of Abdo Publishing, a division of ABDO.

Fake News | Overview: Online resources

ABC Media Watch
Media Watch is a forum for media analysis and comment. It looks into conflicts of interest, bank backflips, deceit, misrepresentation, manipulation, plagiarism, abuse of power, technical lies and straight out fraud.

First Draft This link opens in a new window
First draft is a not-for-profit tacking information disorder. First Draft’s mission is to empower societies with accurate information in critical moments. They work to ensure the integrity of the world’s information ecosystem, developing and delivering pioneering techniques, tools and training for how information is discovered, shared and presented to the public.

Fake News | Overview: Curriculum alignment

This Mentone Girls' Grammar School LibGuide supports the following Victorian curriculum outcomes. Click on the links to explore more.

Ethical understanding [Australian General Capability.7]
Exploring ethical issues and interactions with others, discuss ideas, and being accountable as members of a democratic community.
more...less...
The Australian General Capability is the national vocabulary identifying important general capabilities that schools should help students develop, in addition to content of particular learning areas. (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, n.d.)
Critical and creative thinking [Australian General Capability.4]
"Critical thinking involves recognising or developing an argument, using evidence in support of that argument, drawing reasoned conclusions, and using information to solve problems. Examples of thinking skills are interpreting, analysing, evaluating, explaining, sequencing, reasoning, comparing, questioning, inferring, hypothesising, appraising, testing and generalising. Creative thinking involves generating and applying new ideas in specific contexts, seeing existing situations in a new way, identifying alternative explanations, and seeing or making new links that generate a positive outcome. This includes combining parts to form something original, sifting and refining ideas to discover possibilities, constructing theories and objects, and acting on intuition."
more...less...
The Australian General Capability is the national vocabulary identifying important general capabilities that schools should help students develop, in addition to content of particular learning areas. (Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, n.d.)