Waubonsee Community College

UnSpun, finding facts in a world of disinformation, Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson

eng

illustrations

index present

non fiction

UnSpun

76416677

Brooks Jackson and Kathleen Hall Jamieson

finding facts in a world of disinformation

Americans are bombarded daily with mixed messages, half truths, misleading statements, and out and out fabrications masquerading as facts. The news media, once the vaunted watchdogs of our republic, are often too timid or distracted to identify these deceptions. This book is the secret decoder ring for the twenty-first-century world of disinformation. Written by the founders of the website FactCheck.org, it reveals the secrets of separating facts from disinformation, such as: the warning signs of spin, hype, and bogus news; common tricks used to deceive us; how to find trustworthy and objective sources of information. Telling fact from fiction should not be a difficult task. This book helps readers cut through the haze of biased media reportage to be a savvier consumer and a better-informed citizen. A practical guide to identifying bunk from fact twisting political ads and dubious infomercials to corporate PR and false e-mails; it explains how and where to pick out the truth from the masses of misleading messages and fake resources

A world of spin -- From snake oil to emu oil -- A bridesmaid's bad breath : warning signs of trickery -- "Tall" coffees and assault weapons : tricks of the deception trade -- UFO cults and US : why we get spun -- Facts can save your life -- The great crow fallacy : finding the best evidence -- Osama, Ollie, and Al : the Internet solution -- Was Clarence Darrow a creationist? : how to be sure -- Staying unSpun

Finding facts in a world of disinformation