One of My Students Tried to Sneak A Fox News Quote into His Paper

[ProudLib72]

I wouldn't let him get away with that crap. He was having me take one last look over his essay, paying particular attention to his citations. Oh, I noticed that Fox citation right away. The thing is, he knew he had committed a grave error. When I confronted him, he admitted that it was a poor choice. The other students heard me exclaiming my disgust for Fox and they started telling him how it wasn't a real news source. He said he would find another source.

[Crutchez_CuiBono]

1. Good catch Mr Chips.

Fk Fux.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

2. I think you acted very appropriately and I love how the other students responded!

[ThirdEye]

3. I hope you reacted to the content and validity of the quote

...and not just the source. You don't want Fox to seem rebellious. The important part is not hating Fox in front of students, it's giving them the critical thinking skills to sniff out bullshit.

[ProudLib72]

4. He knew it was a bad move. As soon as I saw it and said something, he was ready to get rid of it

The other students knew better, too. I didn't really need to say much. The others jumped in and booed Fox. If it came down to it, there was another problem with the source. It was from 2010, which seems pretty old. I had discussed kairos (timeliness) with them on a previous essay.

[Tatiana]

5. Why was it a bad move?

Was the information cited incorrect?

As the previous poster indicated, we should be teaching critical thinking skills to spot so-called "fake news."

[ProudLib72]

6. I went over checking sources for credibility. Spent a day on the CRAP test

I also admonished them to stick to the school's library database for articles because they would be relatively safe. I told them that, if they absolutely had to use Google, it was best to use Google scholar. And if even that failed, they should be aware of what the domain extensions were best (don't rely on .org!).

However, I do believe it would be a good idea to spend more time on credibility (and have an assignment devoted to it). I was slacking because this is the first semester of composition and they only use sources for their final essay. It's in the second semester that I focus more on critical thinking skills and using logic.

[Hekate]

11. I hope you realize that FOX and other RW sources are not acceptable at DU, either...

It's not because we disagree with them, it's because they are inaccurate at best and peddle propaganda and lies at worst.

[TheBlackAdder]

7. On the scale of Wikipedia to Weekly World News, FOX News skews towards WWN in academia.

[ProudLib72]

8. I'm not super opposed to Wikipedia, at least not as much as I used to be

Inevitably this comes up each semester: "Why can't I just use Wikipedia?" I have to tell them the difference between primary, secondary, and tertiary sources. Then I tell them that Wikipedia is a good place to find sources (in their references section at the bottom of each page). I think they actually appreciate that I take the time to explain everything instead of simply forbidding Wikipedia altogether.

[TheBlackAdder]

9. It's good to get you started, but college profs will not accept direct citations from them.

I like to camp out at JSTOR as those are mainly peer reviewed.

[ProudLib72]

10. Oh yes, I tell them that this is a college class and they need to use good sources

But some of these students are either still in high school getting college credit or are fresh out of high school. I usually take a day to go over credibility and a day for finding sources in the school's database. Sometimes I tell them just how much a subscription to a database costs the school. Then I point out that we have 90+ individual databases available for them. I say, "Now you know where your tuition money is going!" That way, they believe they aren't getting their money's worth unless they use the library database.

The main problem is that this is the first time using a library database for a lot of students. They are used to using Google, and they aren't aware of the major difference in the phrasing of key terms they need to use when switching to a database. Google corrects spelling, makes suggestions, and can take a full sentence question. You have to be precise when using a database (this is especially difficult when it comes to ESL students who have trouble with spelling).

[Hekate]

12. You sound like a teacher they will always remember...

...for showing them how to suss out reliable information, and how to do valid research. Talk about Life Skills! Among other things, they should be relatively safe on the internet, having developed a healthy sense of skepticism and a nose for BS.

[ProudLib72]

13. After I poo pooed Fox, some of the other students grew concerned about their own sources

One of them asked me if it was ok to use Business Insider.

Back in the day when I had more time to devote to finding sources and determining their credibility, I would talk in depth about rhetorical devices used in articles. I swear, my lecture turned half the students (the good ones) into such skeptics they wouldn't trust The New England Journal of Medicine. I would spend half the next day calming them down, but at least it forced them to really analyze an article and ask questions.