Section outline

  • Course Overview

    How do you find the right sources for your research, and check that they are accurate? This course will introduce you to why finding appropriate resources is vital to good research, how you can determine if a source is credible, why fact-checking is so important, and provide strategies to help with fact-checking.

    Learning Outcomes

    This course will help you to:

    1. Identify and evaluate different types of sources
    2. Recognize indicators of source credibility
    3. Choose appropriate sources for your research needs
    4. Navigate challenging source-related situations effectively
    5. Investigate source creation and assess creator reputation
    6. Address issues of bias in source evaluation
    7. Fact-check claims using various techniques
    8. Adapt fact-checking strategies to different situations
    9. Communicate fact-checking results to diverse audiences

    • Course Instructor: Sarah Morris

      • Sarah Morris

        Sarah is a librarian, educator, and curriculum designer whose work focuses on critical information and media literacy, misinformation, civic engagement, student success, and library and information science education. She has held positions at Loyola University Chicago, the University of Texas, and served as the Head of Instruction and Engagement at the Emory University Libraries. Sarah has worked on curriculum projects with partners that include the Mozilla Foundation and the Carter Center. She currently works as an instructional designer and consultant and is pursuing her PhD in Communication and Information Sciences from the University of Alabama.

        View Bio for Sarah Morris

      • Course Resources

        You will need to access certain files and resources throughout the course to get the most out of the activities. You can find them all here. 

      • Video Transcripts

        You can access all video transcripts here.

      • Pre-Course Self Assessment

        Before you dive into this course, spend a few moments reflecting on your familiarity with the topic and your current level of skills confidence. 

        You will then re-visit the same questions in our Post-Course Self Assessment and reflect on how the course has helped you develop in confidence and grow your skills. 

        • Module One: Why Do I Need to Check Sources?


          This module will help you to:

          1. Recognize the different stages of fact-checking
          2. Define credibility and explore indicators of credibility in sources
          3. Identify different types of sources
          4. Recognize situations when certain types of sources are needed
          5. Navigate challenging situations with sources

        • Module Two: What Should I Consider When Checking Sources?


          This module will help you to:

          1. Investigate the reputation of a source author and publisher 
          2. Recognize why a source was created 
          3. Consider the impact of personal bias on source evaluation 
          4. Use an annotated bibliography to evaluate and track your sources 

        • Module Three: What Other Strategies Can I Use?


          This module will help you to:

          1. Employ different strategies and techniques for effectively and efficiently fact-checking sources 
          2. Determine which fact-checking techniques and strategies suit different situations and scenarios  
          3. Use tools to assist with fact-checking
          4. Consider how best to share your work with your audience   

        • References and Glossary of Key Terms

        • Post-Course Self Assessment

          Now you’ve completed the course, spend a few moments reflecting on where your familiarity with the topics and your confidence skills levels are at now. 

          Has the course helped you develop new skills and grow your confidence?

          You'll need to complete the Post-Course Self Assessment in order to download your certificate. If you didn't do the Pre-Course Self Assessment before starting the course, please go to the top of the page and reflect on your familiarity with the topic and your level of skills confidence before you started the course.

          • Completion: Certificate

            Completing all modules (plus the pre and post-course assessments) will unlock the course certificate, which you can then download here. Your course certificate will only be made available once you have completed all these sections.

            If you have difficulty accessing your certificate, please contact the Sage support team at: onlinesupport@sagepub.co.uk. You can also check out this FAQ page which may be helpful.

            • Give Feedback About This Course

              Did you enjoy the course? Please take two minutes to share your feedback. We use learner feedback in future course updates and developments to provide an excellent learning experience.

            • Accessibility

              We have high standards of accessibility on Sage Campus and as of May/June 2024 all activities within this course are keyboard and screen reader compatible. For more details on accessibility standards, please see the Sage Campus Accessibility Guide.

              For those using assistive technology, please note that within this course:

              • Tab components: JAWS and NVDA behave slightly differently. For NVDA to keep reading, it is best to exit focus mode and go back to browse mode. 
              • Matching: JAWS does not read out question label on dropdown focus.