Goodreads Debate Guild discussion

debate⠀/dɪˈbeɪt/
noun
1.⠀⠀formal discussion on a particular matter in a public meeting or legislative assembly,
⠀⠀⠀ in which opposing arguments are put forward and which usually ends with a vote.
2.⠀⠀an argument about a particular subject, especially one in which many people are
⠀⠀⠀ involved.

verb
1.⠀⠀argue about (a subject), especially in a formal manner.
2.⠀⠀consider a possible course of action in one’s mind before reaching a decision.

SOURCE, OXFORD LEARNER’S DICTIONARY
https://www.oxfordlearnersdictionarie...


This is the Misinformation topic. Here, we are focusing on helping everyone
understand what this can look like and how much it effects social issues.

[⠀⠀https://www.apa.org/topics/journalism...⠀⠀⠀]
[⠀⠀https://www.harvard.edu/in-focus/mana...⠀⠀]

Misinformation, the sharing of false or misleading information regardless of intent, has become a critical issue in today’s media landscape. With the rise of social media and digital communication, misinformation spreads faster and more widely than ever before. People often share false content unknowingly, driven by emotion, repetition, or a desire to confirm their own beliefs. Research shows that when individuals see the same false information multiple times, they’re more likely to believe it, a phenomenon known as the “illusory truth effect.” Emotionally charged content, particularly that which evokes anger or fear, is also more likely to be shared, further fueling the cycle.

Several psychological and social factors contribute to this problem. Cognitive biases, such as confirmation bias, lead people to seek out and accept information that aligns with what they already believe, even if it’s inaccurate. In many cases, individuals don’t take the time to verify what they see online, and algorithms on digital platforms often prioritize engaging content over truthful content, making false information more visible and appealing.

The effects of misinformation can be serious. It can erode public trust in science, health authorities, journalism, and democratic institutions. False narratives around topics like elections, vaccines, or climate change have real-world consequences, from public health risks to political instability. Addressing misinformation requires a multi-faceted approach. Media literacy education can help people recognize unreliable sources and assess information more critically. Encouraging users to pause and think before sharing content online can reduce the viral spread of falsehoods. Technological solutions, such as labeling questionable content or slowing its spread, may also play a role.

A big step in media literacy is understanding when to trust a source. All text on a screen can look the same to an untrained eye, but there are ways to spot a reputable source versus one that could potentially contain misinformation or opinions written off as facts. For one, scientists can be trusted. Anything that has made it into a scientific journal (or press release article citing a journal) has made it through a strenuous peer-review process and has been deemed truthful by a panel of experts on the topic. When looking for information on topics like health and the climate, you can trust what scientists are saying. Educational (.edu) websites tend to have a similar review process. TikToks and Reddit posts, on the other hand, have no peer-review process and can say literally anything without any regard for what is truthful.

If you read anything that you are wary of, we encourage you to do your own research on the topic. Don’t just trust what someone says to you, especially if it is a big claim. Fighting misinformation starts with being skeptical about what is presented to you as fact without any evidence that you can look through yourself.

I try my best to source unbiased information, one thing I think is good to do if you are having trouble finding unbiased information, is to use information from your opposing side. If your facts are correct they can’t be denied even by people who disagree.
I’ve also fact checked people in debate when they were wrong, and I’ve gotten pretty rude responses even when I am being respectful. I don’t mind if you accidentally post incorrect information, but just town up to it and correct yourself! Debate isn’t always about winning it’s about information, learning, hearing different sides, and understanding of other people!
Please please do your research though for debates. Some sources may be okay for learning but not for debate- for example YouTube. I’ve come across lots of people who send me YouTube and instagram for sources and I won’t take those seriously and worse I’m more likely to deep dive all your future sources that aren’t that to did any bias, lawsuits, or misinformation because social media isn’t a source.
Also, know what biased means. I’ve had to explain to people why their sources are biased- what? Yes it matters, because biased sources will twist their words to make their findings adhere to their opinions, be it political, religious, or social. Not okay in debate.
That’s all I got lol!

Tessie wrote: "I try my best to source unbiased information, one thing I think is good to do if you are having trouble finding unbiased information, is to use information from your opposing side. If your facts ar..."

OMG LOVE THIS

@Tessie As a Speech & Debater, YES!! We have to produce cases/arguments for BOTH sides. We learn what sources are good, and what aren't. I also recommend this to any novice I teach:

.org, .edu, .gov - Those are the most reliable sources (Give or take)

DATES. Check when it was published, this gives you a gauge on relevancy.

Is it a blog or is it a medical report? (Or whatever else you're debating)

I personally get all my news from "All sides", because they provide unbiased news ALONG with biased (Right wing, left wing, and center).

Yes! Dates are so important too, especially in scientific debates where we are always finding new things.
I think blogs are decent sources if they have sources attached. Sometimes I will source a blog talking about tests they did on a subject, but it has the sources to the tests attached. I think it’s a bit easier to digest in that form, especially for me and people my age.

i agree, though blogs that are opinion pieces or smth are rarely good
@pierce i also love allsides!!

and lmaoooo that's so real for s&d. before i switched from the debate event i used to do, literally so much of the cross-ex was "that's not a reliable place to get your info" so you HAD to look for trustworthy sites

@Sai RIGHT?? LD I love you, but LDers.... Other story

lol that's so real