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You're on Facebook scrolling through your feed and see a headline posted by a friend and think, "That can't be true!" and you are probably right. Fake news is making news right now but it really isn't anything new, it just feels more pervasive and in your face with the our increased reliance on social media and exposure to questionable Internet sites. So how do you know if the story you are reading is real or fake?
Sometimes it is hard to tell just by looking at the site but with a little bit effort you can usually find a reliable source that will either verify the story or debunk it. The Washington Post cited a study that showed that, "59 percent of links shared on social media have never actually been clicked." That means that over half the time people share stories without even reading them much less making sure they are true!
Before you share, verify your news!
**Be on the lookout for fake news but also remember that you have to evaluate ALL of the sources you use in your research projects. A source that uses bad data, personal opinion and generalizations can be just a bad as a story that is completely fake.