Debunking & Prebunking: Strategies for Librarians to Combat Misinformation: Webinar
Interest in combating misinformation has exploded in the past decade, and many scholars and public figures have claimed that libraries should play an important role in slowing the spread of false claims. However, much of the research around correcting misinformation or preventing its dissemination comes from other fields, such as psychology and education. Researchers in these disciplines have begun to develop debunking and “prebunking” strategies for misinformation that do not seem to have widespread adoption among, or recognition by, librarians.
In this webinar, presenters Mandi Goodsett, Performing Arts & Humanities Librarian at Cleveland State University, and Evan Meszaros, Research & Engagement Librarian at Case Western Reserve University, describe misinformation interventions from the literature, as well as how this cutting-edge research can be used to improve library instruction and programming around misinformation. You will learn about strategies and formats for misinformation education, from how to construct a correction so it doesn’t backfire, to how to use gamification to “inoculate” participants against misinformation tactics.
About the Presenters
Mandi Goodsett (she/her) is the Performing Arts & Humanities Librarian, as well as the Open Educational Resource & Copyright Advisor, at Cleveland State University. Her research interests include critical thinking, sustainability in libraries, and open education, and she has been published in C&RL, the Journal of Academic Librarianship, and Communications in Information Literacy, among other journals.
Evan Meszaros (he/his) is a Research & Engagement Librarian at Case Western Reserve University. He formally supports the natural sciences and mathematics at CWRU, though his other interests include environmentalism and sustainability (in libraries and beyond), as well as misinformation, skepticism, and media literacy.