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axeil
Feb 14, 2006
When looking at any source people need to ask these questions to themselves:

quote:

Who created this?

Was it a company? Was it an individual? (If so, who?) Was it a comedian? Was it an artist? Was it an anonymous source? Why do you think that?

Why did they make it?

Was it to inform you of something that happened in the world (for example, a news story)? Was it to change your mind or behavior (an opinion essay or a how-to)? Was it to make you laugh (a funny meme)? Was it to get you to buy something (an ad)? Why do you think that?

Who is the message for?

People who share a particular interest? Why do you think that?

What techniques are being used to make this message credible or believable?

Does it have statistics from a reputable source? Does it contain quotes from a subject expert? Does it have an authoritative-sounding voice-over? Is there direct evidence of the assertions its making? Why do you think that?

What details were left out, and why?

Is the information balanced with different views -- or does it present only one side? Do you need more information to fully understand the message? Why do you think that?

How did the message make you feel?

Do you think others might feel the same way? Would everyone feel the same, or would certain people disagree with you? Why do you think that?

D&D has proven almost completely incapable of critically analyzing sources beyond "I like this/agree with this, ergo good" which is why we absolutely should not tolerate bad sourcing and we need to work on improving our collective ability to critically examine sources. I would be shocked if people on this forum could regularly answer even half these questions about things they post.

This is a serious problem. If you aren't able to critically evaluate information, having a productive discussion space is hopeless.

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