Episode 118
The Parent's Guide to Spotting Misinformation: Empower Your LGBTQ Journey
Have you ever felt adrift in the murky waters of the internet, trying to fish out the facts you truly need? Today's episode is a beacon for LGBTQ+ parents seeking guidance in distinguishing the credible from the questionable online. Today we plunge into the methods of verifying author expertise and publisher reputation, emphasizing the difference it makes to lean on peer-reviewed resources. Our conversation goes further than just picking out the good from the bad; it's about strengthening the very foundations of your knowledge with tools that ensure what you're learning is rooted in verified truth.
As we navigate this digital landscape together, we lay out a map of strategies to keep you on the path of objective and accurate information. We discuss the nuances of sifting through content, from performing reverse image searches to discerning the intent behind the words you read. It's a masterclass in critical thinking and self-awareness, aimed at debunking biases and promoting a balanced understanding of the issues close to your heart and your LGBTQ teen's experience. Embrace a balanced, informed approach to content consumption, and join us on this journey toward becoming a savvier, more critical thinker in the digital age.
Takeaways:
- The podcast emphasizes the importance of feeling safe and supported while parenting LGBTQ teens.
- Listeners are encouraged to evaluate the credibility of online sources to avoid misinformation.
- Critical thinking is crucial when assessing the objectivity and bias of information found online.
- Utilizing advanced search strategies can significantly enhance the efficiency of your online research.
- Engaging with peer-reviewed articles yields more reliable information and supports informed decision-making.
- Parents should be proactive in seeking diverse perspectives to foster a comprehensive understanding of LGBTQ issues.
Transcript
Welcome to Just Breathe Parenting youg LGBTQ Team, the podcast transforming the conversation around loving and raising an LGBTQ child.
Heather Hester:My name is Heather Hester, and I am so grateful you are here.
Heather Hester:I want you to take a deep breath and know that for the time we are together, you are in the safety of the Just Breathe nest.
Heather Hester:Whether today's show is an amazing guest or me sharing stories, resources, strategies, or lessons I've learned along our journey, I want you to feel like we're just hanging out at a coffee shop having a cozy chat.
Heather Hester:Most of all, I want you to remember that, that wherever you are on this journey right now, in this moment in time, you are not alone.
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Speaker B:Today we are going to have a brief discussion about finding accurate information online and how to develop a discerning eye for misinformation.
Speaker B:This is a topic I realized that we could have a really intense discussion about and I do welcome any thoughts and questions you have.
Speaker B:But for the purposes of this episode, I just want to share a few strategies you can use to help you on your quest for information.
Speaker B:There is nothing worse than being derailed by misinformation and then following it down a rabbit hole.
Speaker B:It can be a huge time suck and not the way most of us want to use our.
Speaker B:So follow along, take some notes, and let me know if there's a thread you'd like me to follow in another episode.
Speaker B:Learning to be a savvy researcher was one of the great lessons I've learned on our journey.
Speaker B:We had so, so many questions, as you well know, when Connor first came out, and as one would get answered, two more would pop up.
Speaker B:We all know that there is a ridiculous amount of misinformation out there on all topics and if I had to guess, LGBTQ topics would be near the top.
Speaker B:So how do we hone our discernment?
Speaker B:How do we figure out what is true and what is not true after all of these years?
Speaker B:I've come up with a few strategies that help and that's what I want to share with you today.
Speaker B:Visualize credibility as a compass and your north or your North Star as reliable and accurate information.
Speaker B:Evaluating the authority of a website, considering domain trustworthiness, and scrutinizing the expertise of authors are pivotal steps in anchoring this trust.
Speaker B:It's essential to discern truthfulness by cross referencing facts and employing credibility checkers, ultimately creating a fortress of verified knowledge.
Speaker B:Now, I know this takes extra time to do these things.
Speaker B:Everything that I'm going to be recommending to you today takes an extra step or two extra steps.
Speaker B:But in the end it's worth it.
Speaker B:So think about that as you're like, I really just, I just want to know something and I'm just going to go with it, right?
Speaker B:Think about taking at least that one extra step or taking a moment and just listening to that voice inside of you that is never wrong, that will tell you, maybe you should look, maybe you should check one more thing or two more things or this is good.
Speaker B:This is good.
Speaker B:For now, when we leverage the wisdom of peer reviewed journals or peer reviewed articles and the insights from expert interviews, it significantly enhances the solidity of online research findings.
Speaker B:We must remain aware of biases and seek a balanced perspective from various sources.
Speaker B:So let's explore some of these strategies that will build your ability or bolster your ability to determine the trustworthiness of online content.
Speaker B:It will fortify your search strategies and steer your research journey from doubt to trust.
Speaker B:So the first strategy is about understanding the source's authority.
Speaker B:Evaluating a source's authority isn't just about checking credentials.
Speaker B:It's about ensuring the information stands on a solid foundation of expertise and trustworthiness.
Speaker B:Here's how to delve deeper and confirm the authority of your sources.
Speaker B:The first thing is expertise assessment.
Speaker B:Look for information about the author's expertise, such as their degrees, their academic degrees, their professional affiliations, their life experiences.
Speaker B:Verify the author's role as the original content creator for original research.
Speaker B:It should appear in peer reviewed journals.
Speaker B:The next one is the publisher's reputation.
Speaker B:Assess the publisher's credibility by considering their mission and whether they present content through a specific lens.
Speaker B:So you can do this by going to a publisher's website and reading about them.
Speaker B:Typically there is, you know, there's the about us page or paragraph or something their mission that will give you an idea of who they are and perhaps even the type of materials that they publish and put out into the world.
Speaker B:Look at what else they have published while you are there and where it has been published.
Speaker B:So meaning look to see if it is a book, like a nonfiction book or is it an academic book.
Speaker B:It could be a mix of book, online material, digital courses, that type of thing.
Speaker B:So take a look at that and then recognize the publisher's role in establishing the source's authority, especially when the author details are scarce.
Speaker B:So what has the publisher done to help create or create information about the author?
Speaker B:The next one is domain and design scrutiny.
Speaker B:Check through a website's domain.
Speaker B:Is it you?
Speaker B:This will help you gauge the sources initial credibility and then evaluate the professionalism of the website's design as an indicator of resource seriousness.
Speaker B:Does it seem like it was just slapped up there?
Speaker B:Is there any type of design to the website?
Speaker B:These are things that you you can just with a few minutes with your eye you will know.
Speaker B:The next is comprehensive credibility checks.
Speaker B:I love a good acronym to help me remember things and these two do not disappoint.
Speaker B:The first is to apply the CRAAP test crap currency, relevance, authority, accuracy and purpose to each of the sources as well as the smart check.
Speaker B:And this isn't the typical smart that we're often used to for creating smart goals.
Speaker B:For instance, this one is for newspaper sources and this focuses on Source Motive, Authority review and the two Source test.
Speaker B:So again, these are two really really important ones.
Speaker B:Write them down the CRAAP test, Currency, relevance, authority, accuracy and purpose as well as the smart check which is Source, motive, authority review and the two Source Test and then engage in lateral reading, meaning exploring, fact checking sites and more information about the author and the site.
Speaker B:By considering these factors, you'll be better equipped to discern the credibility of online content, ensuring you cover the bases of authority and reliability.
Speaker B:Remember that authority is constructed and contextual.
Speaker B:It evolves over time and must be considered from multiple angles.
Speaker B:Keep these checkpoints handy as you continue to gather information.
Speaker B:Number two is Assessing the accuracy of Content in searching for truth online, it is crucial to assess the accuracy of content meticulously.
Speaker B:Here are a couple strategies to help with this.
Speaker B:The first is verification through multiplicity.
Speaker B:So what does that mean?
Speaker B:It's a lot of awesome sounding words.
Speaker B:Well, it means cross referencing information with multiple reliable sources to confirm the veracity or the truth.
Speaker B:Validate claims using esteemed fact checking websites like Politifact and Snopes I have a really really good article that I found linked in the blog version of this episode that gives really good context and background on the accuracy of fact checking websites.
Speaker B:Because I know that's something does get thrown around a lot that we've heard so much more about in reference to in the past few years and I thought this article was super helpful in understanding why certain ones were used in different instances.
Speaker B:So go ahead and pop on over to the website and check out the blog version of this which is much more detailed and you can read this article as well.
Speaker B:The next is to use technical checks for trustworthiness, meaning inspect for typographical errors which indicate the lack of professionalism.
Speaker B:Test for broken links and check the site's uptime, the how fast it uploads pictures, those types of things.
Speaker B:And then here's a big one.
Speaker B:Conduct reverse image searches to trace the origin of online images.
Speaker B:This will ensure that they are not misrepresented.
Speaker B:This is a really really important one to do, especially as AI gets bigger and bigger.
Speaker B:The next one is content maintenance and standards.
Speaker B:Establish a clear set of standards for source credibility, including format, styles and citation requirements.
Speaker B:Check that they regularly update content to maintain its relevance and accuracy over time.
Speaker B:And then finally use tools such as Grammarly or copyscape for grammar for plagiarism and those type of things.
Speaker B:And really the biggest thing.
Speaker B:And I cannot say this enough.
Speaker B:Your biggest strategy is always, always going to be to use your critical thinking skills, do not assume anything, and ensure that opinions are supported by solid evidence.
Speaker B:And this really kind of puts us into our number three, which is analyzing the objectivity and the bias.
Speaker B:This is where those critical thinking skills will really, really come in handy.
Speaker B:Analyzing the objectivity and the bias of what you are reading.
Speaker B:Objectivity is the bedrock of credible research representing facts unaffected by personal feelings or opinions.
Speaker B:I'm just going to say that one more time because I think this is really, really, really important.
Speaker B:Objectivity is the bedrock of credible research representing facts unaffected by personal feelings or opinions.
Speaker B:Now, before I go any further, I just want to say that I know a lot of what I enjoy reading and a lot of times I'll do you know, a percentage of my what I'm reading online when I'm trying to find an answer are pieces that are opinion pieces or have bias or opinion in them.
Speaker B:Right.
Speaker B:I bring that up because I think it's necessary to have a mix of both.
Speaker B:And really what I'm talking about today is the other, not the opinion pieces, but the strict research, the objective pieces of information that are out there that, that we are looking for.
Speaker B:So I just wanted to kind of throw that in there right now while we're discussing that and to give you a couple of tips on how to discern the neutrality of content or, you know, the objectivity.
Speaker B:So the first is to look at the purpose and the goals.
Speaker B:Assess the content's purpose and the author's goals.
Speaker B:Try to figure out what they are.
Speaker B:Is there information?
Speaker B:Is it meant to just inform?
Speaker B:Is it meant to persuade you one way or another?
Speaker B:Understand the difference between an opinion piece and a peer reviewed academic article.
Speaker B:And understand that there is a huge spectrum in between those two.
Speaker B:A huge spectrum of information that you will find in between those two.
Speaker B:And then consider the intended audience.
Speaker B:Who is the information aimed at, aimed toward and why?
Speaker B:Next you want to consider the author's background, consider their affiliations, consider their expertise, any groups that they may be representing or associated with or working with.
Speaker B:Do they have any kind of particular agenda?
Speaker B:And then take a look at the language that's used.
Speaker B:Is it language that is really emotional or is it neutral?
Speaker B:Is it really academic and the type of wording that is used?
Speaker B:Or is it more conversational and colloquial?
Speaker B:And then check the depth of the information provided.
Speaker B:A well researched article will support its claims with facts and data.
Speaker B:So keep that in mind as you are online or in books, reading and researching.
Speaker B:When you are looking at a source's purpose and objectivity specifically, consider the abstract or the summary or table of contents to understand the scope of content.
Speaker B:Check for any institutional affiliations that could influence this perspective and then note the domain extension.
Speaker B:For instance, Edu domains often indicate educational institutions which may present information more neutrally.
Speaker B:And then finally, to effectively evaluate bias, take a look at any rhetorical fallacies and check if credible resources or sources back these claims.
Speaker B:Be wary of content framing and selective fact reporting.
Speaker B:Acknowledge personal biases that could color the evaluation process.
Speaker B:Research using multiple sources to find consistency and counteract confirmation bias I am going to say this one one more time because it's really, really, really important.
Speaker B:I know that as we research and you know the type of research that I do, a lot of it has to do with LGBTQ topics and LGBTQ issues and easy to fall into looking up information that confirms what I already believe, right?
Speaker B:What I already think.
Speaker B:It's important to push yourself outside of that comfort, outside of that zone of knowledge.
Speaker B:Your zone of genius, I guess, to see look at everything that is out there, right?
Speaker B:And look at multiple sources to see what's being said.
Speaker B:Even if, and maybe even especially if it's different than what you believe or different than what you think.
Speaker B:This is an important practice, a good practice, as difficult as it may be to help you really hone your skills.
Speaker B:By applying these analytical lenses, you can sift through content with a balanced view.
Speaker B:You can separate fact from opinion and gain a clear understanding of the information landscape.
Speaker B:Remember that we all have biases.
Speaker B:This is not a judgment call, it is a statement of fact.
Speaker B:These biases affect how we receive information and how we put it back out into the world.
Speaker B:This is a topic that we will explore in another blog post and in another episode podcast episode.
Speaker B:But for the time being it is worth remembering this as you hone your information gathering skills.
Speaker B:Number four is utilizing advanced search strategies.
Speaker B:So what are those actual tools that you can use as you gather information online that will save you time or help you find more information in one search or better information in one search because it can be incredibly overwhelming and time consuming.
Speaker B:So here are some of the ones that I use most often.
Speaker B:The first batch are to help organize and synthesize information using analysis, your critical eye and then synthesizing, compare and contrast varying perspectives and findings.
Speaker B:Look for gaps, inconsistencies, contradictions and then integrate diverse information to form a comprehensive understanding.
Speaker B:This will really help you find that broad landscape.
Speaker B:Actively use advanced search tools and techniques.
Speaker B:Search Engines Use Google Scholar if you're looking for medical specific information, use PubMed.
Speaker B:There are search engines, powerful search engines.
Speaker B:One of that I don't think it's.
Speaker B:I mean, I know it's used a lot, but we don't often remember to reference it.
Speaker B:Is YouTube as an incredible search engine.
Speaker B:For information, use search filters.
Speaker B:Apply filters for dates for language and this will really help you hone in on precise results.
Speaker B:Combine keywords with the words and or not to expand or narrow your search and then use quotation marks for exact phrases and the asterisk the star.
Speaker B:For a truncation, use Google Analytics, Hotjar or SurveyMonkey to gauge content impact, Stick to specific keywords related to your topic.
Speaker B:This will help you be consistent over time.
Speaker B:Employ hashtags and keywords on platforms like X, even Instagram for the latest insights.
Speaker B:LinkedIn oh my goodness, really?
Speaker B:Any of the social media platforms where hashtags are really useful and then keep track of your sources and tools and whatever tracking whether it's Google Sheets, Google Docs, a Word Doc, your notes app, any of these things will help you track what you're doing.
Speaker B:By weaving these strategies into your research fabric, you will be able to craft a tapestry of credible and relevant information.
Speaker B:Awareness and practice of these methods help you not only refine your critical thinking skills and discernment, but more broadly grow as a human being.
Speaker B:Before we wrap up today, I want to remind you all about my Book Launch Team.
Speaker B:If you love what I do and would like to help me get this book into as many hands as possible and in return receive some really cool perks, click on the link in the Show Notes or email me at hhrysalismama.com to let me know that you are interested.
Speaker B:As a member of the Book Launch Team, you will become part of my mission of transforming the conversation around loving, raising and empowering LGBTQ people with unique solutions for parents and families, organizations and global outreach.
Speaker B:Many more details will be available through the Book Launch Team Communications, so if you're interested, make sure you click on that link or you email me until next time.
Speaker B:Big hugs and lots of love.
Heather Hester:Thanks so much for joining me today.
Heather Hester:If you and today's episode, I would be so grateful for a rating or a review.
Heather Hester:Click on the link in the Show Notes or go to my website chrysalismama.com to stay up to date on my latest resources as well as to learn how you can work with me.
Heather Hester:Please share this podcast with anyone who needs to know that they are not alone and remember.
Heather Hester:Remember to just breathe until next time.
