The internet has vastly increased the speed and spread of information, connecting the world in ways never before thought possible.
互联网极大地提高了信息的传播速度，以前所未有的方式连接着世界。
One of the main advantages of developing technology is that a wealth of information and data is freely available to anyone with an internet connection. One downside缺点 to this increase in speed and communication is the ease with which misinformation误报 can be disguised伪装的 and accepted as fact. Often, so much information is coming at us that it is difficult to know what information to believe and trust.
发展技术的主要优势之一是任何人都可以通过互联网免费获得大量的信息和数据。这种速度和通信的增加的一个缺点是误报容易伪装的，并被接受为事实。通常情况下，如此多的信息扑面而来，我们很难知道该相信和信任哪些信息。
This article will explore some of the steps that we can take to better understand the information around us and test its validity有效性. Some of these techniques and ideas may already be familiar to you from your own personal research. This article aims to increase information literacy读写能力 and stimulate刺激 deeper thought about what information and news we accept as true. To that end, you are encouraged to explore, test and challenge these suggestions as well.
本文将探讨我们可以采取的一些步骤，以便更好地理解我们周围的信息并测试其有效性有效性。从你自己的个人研究来看，这些技巧和想法你可能已经很熟悉了。这篇文章的目的是提高信息素养读写能力和刺激更深层次的思考什么信息和新闻，我们接受为真实的。为此，我们也鼓励您探索、测试和挑战这些建议。
-Truth, facts and what it means for something to be true.
-真理，事实和它意味着什么是真实的。
For this discussion, we will talk about truth as simply being whether a statement or claim is accurate (truthful) or inaccurate (false). When we are doing research, whether for a class or reading the news, we generally want to determine if the facts or arguments being presented are reliable and accurate. There are a number of things we need to keep in mind when making that decision.
在这次讨论中，我们将把真理简单地理解为一个陈述或主张是准确的（真实的）还是不准确的（错误的）。当我们做研究时，无论是为了上课还是阅读新闻，我们通常都想确定所提出的事实或论点是否可靠和准确。在做这个决定的时候，我们需要记住一些事情。
Not everything is either true or false.
不是每件事都是非真即假。
Some information can neither be true nor false. This includes things like feelings and opinions because they are not based on facts. Feelings and opinions are real but they are subjective. Statements such as “Dave is ugly,” “chocolate cake is better than carrot cake” or “I hate Martha” tell us about how the speaker feels but not about facts.
有些信息既不可能是真的，也不可能是假的。这包括感觉和观点之类的东西，因为它们不是基于事实的。感觉和意见是真实的，但他们是主观的。诸如“Dave很丑”，“巧克力蛋糕比胡萝卜蛋糕好”或者“我讨厌Martha”这样的陈述告诉了我们说话者的感受，而不是事实。
Other things can be either true or false. This includes things like research statistics or facts about the world and events that have taken place. For something to be true or false, there must be some way to check.
其他的东西可以是真的，也可以是假的。这包括研究统计数据或关于世界和已经发生的事件的事实。为一件事是真是假，一定有办法去检验。
For example, you can check to find out if the statement “chocolate cake has more calcium that carrot cake” is correct. You cannot check to find out which is objectively better because that is a matter of opinion.
例如，你可以检查“巧克力蛋糕比胡萝卜蛋糕含有更多的钙”这句话是否正确。你不能通过检查来找出客观上哪一个更好，因为这是一个见仁见智的问题。
Skepticism怀疑论, Ask Questions
If we want to start being more confident about the information we see, we (unfortunately) all need to be a little skeptical怀疑的. If something stands out as being either too good or too bad to be true, do more research because it often is. When it comes to accepting new information, it is healthy to be skeptical, to demand answers and seek to understand and analyze the data.
如果我们想开始对我们看到的信息更有信心，我们（不幸的是）都需要有点怀疑的。如果某件事太好或太坏而不真实，那么做更多的研究，因为它经常是这样的。当涉及到接受新的信息，这是健康的怀疑，要求答案，并寻求理解和分析数据。
Sources
One of the first and most important things we can do when we get information is to follow the adage and consider the source. Think about where you got the information. What were the source’s possible motivations and how’s their past reliability? Some sources seek to give us knowledge and facts about something to educate us. Other sources are motivated to convince us about something, either because they feel strongly about it or because they have something to gain by convincing说服 us.
当我们获得信息时，我们可以做的第一件也是最重要的事情之一就是遵循这句格言，考虑信息的来源。想想你从哪里得到的信息。线人可能的动机是什么他们过去的可靠性如何？有些来源试图给我们一些知识和事实来教育我们。其他来源的动机是说服我们的东西，要么是因为他们有强烈的感觉，或因为他们有一些东西，说服我们。
If someone’s motivation means that they have something to gain by convincing you of something, they may not be trustworthy值得信赖的. If a speaker company puts out a report that says your ears will be healthier if you use their new technology, you need to find someone who isn’t trying to sell you speakers and find out what they think about the claim.
如果某人的动机意味着他们通过说服你某件事来获得某些东西，那么他们可能不是值得信赖的值得信赖的人。如果一家扬声器公司发布了一份报告，说如果你使用他们的新技术，你的耳朵会更健康，你需要找到一个不是试图向你推销扬声器的人，并找出他们对这种说法的看法。
Knowing what a source’s motivation is can tell you a lot about how reliable the information is. The same goes for the reliability and expertise of the source. Sources with a history of being trustworthy or having particular expertise专业知识 have a greater level of reliability.
知道消息来源的动机可以告诉你很多信息的可靠性。源的可靠性和专业性也是如此。来源具有值得信赖的历史或具有特定的专业知识具有更高的可靠性水平。
Imagine you have two friends—one is always known to tell the truth, and the other is known to sometimes make up stories for excitement or attention. Which friend are you more likely to believe when they come and tell you about something important that is happening?
想象一下，你有两个朋友，一个总是说真话，另一个有时会为了刺激或引起别人的注意而编造故事。当朋友来告诉你一些正在发生的重要事情时，你更可能相信哪一个？
Now imagine both of your friends are known for being truthful; one of those friends has a degree in physics物理学 and the other has a degree in journalism新闻工作. Imagine that you are learning to play billiards台球. Which friends’ advice about how the ball will move around the table will help you win?
现在想象一下，你的两个朋友都以诚实著称；其中一个有物理物理学学位，另一个有新闻学新闻工作学位。想象一下，你正在学习玩台球台球。哪些朋友关于球如何在桌边移动的建议会帮助你赢？
If possible, try to determine your source’s motivation, expertise专业知识 and reputation. Reserve your trust for those with a history of reliability or relevent special knowledge or training.
如果可能的话，试着确定你的来源的动机、专业知识和声誉。保留你的信任给那些具有可靠性或相关专业知识或培训的人。
-Primary and Lesser Information Sources
When we are doing research, there are two kinds of sources. Principal sources are generally considered reliable sources of information. News outlets like Router and Associated Press employ teams of their own fact-checkers before issuing press releases. Similarly, research and studies that have been peer-reviewed can often offer reliable information. The Center for Disease Control, World Health Organization, and similar organizations are also generally known to be reliable sources. These are the sorts of sources that your teacher lets you use on your research papers.
我们在做研究的时候，来源有两种。主要来源通常被认为是可靠的信息来源。像Router和Associated Press这样的新闻媒体在发布新闻稿之前会雇佣自己的事实核查团队。同样，经过同行评审的调查和研究往往可以提供可靠的信息。疾病控制中心、世界卫生组织和类似的组织通常也被认为是可靠的来源。这些都是你的老师让你在你的研究论文中使用的资源。
On the other hand, teachers rarely accept sources such as anonymous blogs匿名博客, Wikipedia, forums or discussion post entries, or YouTube videos. These are lesser sources because they do not come with the same level of reliability as Principal sources. If you are getting your information from a lesser source, it is even more essential to find the author’s original Principal sources to check them for yourself.
另一方面，教师很少接受匿名博客、维基百科、论坛或讨论帖子条目、或YouTube视频等来源。这些是次要来源，因为它们不具有与主要来源相同的可靠性水平。如果你是从一个较小的来源获得信息，找到作者的原始主要来源，自己检查它们就更有必要了。
lesser较小的 sources are not always inaccurate or unreliable. Still, the ease of posting information online and a lack of significant information vetting on these sorts of sites means that misinformation and lies are much more likely to go unnoticed. lesser sources should always prompt additional research from more reliable sources.
较小的来源并不总是不准确或不可靠。尽管如此，在网上发布信息很容易，而且这类网站缺乏重要的信息审查，这意味着错误信息和谎言更有可能被忽视。较少的来源应总是促使更可靠的来源进行更多的研究。
-Analyzing and Checking Information
Anyone, anywhere in the world, can make a meme, a video, or a blog post, put made-up numbers or statistics on it, and post it online. As students and educated citizens, it is our job to be aware of these risks and to dig deeper into the information we see.
世界上任何地方的任何人都可以制作一个表情包、一段视频或一篇博客文章，在上面加上编造的数字或统计数据，然后发布到网上。作为学生和受过教育的公民，我们有责任意识到这些风险，并更深入地挖掘我们看到的信息。
Checking Dates
Check to see the original date that the information was published. Sometimes old information is recirculated再循环 as new. In areas where information moves quickly, like information technology or medicine, a story that is several years old may no longer be accurate. Sometimes older opinion pieces don’t take critical systemic changes into account because they predate早于 those changes.
With so much information coming at us daily, the information’s age can play a huge role in determining how valuable and reliable the information is today.
请检查信息的原始发布日期。有时旧的信息会像新的一样再循环。在信息快速传播的领域，如信息技术或医学，几年前的故事可能不再准确。有时候旧的观点文章不考虑关键的系统性变化，因为它们早于这些变化。
每天都有如此多的信息扑面而来，信息时代在决定当今信息的价值和可靠性方面发挥着巨大的作用。
Language Clues
Reliable information should generally not seek to excite you, but rather it should prove things to you by presenting and supporting facts. Sensational language, statements like “unbelievable,” “shocking,” or “miraculous” should make you cautious. Always be suspicious if someone says things like, “no one else will tell you this,” or makes specific claims about numbers, statistics, or research but doesn’t tell you precisely where they got their information.
可靠的信息通常不应该寻求刺激你，而是应该通过呈现和支持事实来向你证明事情。耸人听闻的语言，像“难以置信”、“令人震惊”或“不可思议”这样的陈述应该让你谨慎。如果有人说“没有人会告诉你这个”，或者对数字、统计数据或研究提出具体要求，但不告诉你他们确切的信息来源，一定要保持怀疑。
Keep in mind any news that you read that makes clear the writer’s opinions should be fact-checked. Reliable opinion sources will tell you where they got their information, avoid exciting language, and make checking their sources relatively easy.
请记住，你读到的任何新闻都清楚地表明作者的观点应该经过事实核查。可靠的观点来源会告诉你他们的信息来源，避免令人兴奋的语言，并使检查他们的来源相对容易。
Ideally, any information you accept should be available from at least two Principal sources that you trust.If only one source is telling you something, be cautious. Journalists, real and self-proclaimed, at every level, make their careers by covering stories如果只有一个来源告诉你一些事情，要谨慎。各个级别的真正的和自封的新闻工作者，都是以报道新闻为职业的。 If no one else covers the information, there is probably an excellent reason for that and it is very very rarely an oversight or a product of corruption. Very few information or news sources have secret inside information that is available only to them.
Fact-Checking Sources
The simplest way to fact-check sources is by clicking links if they are included with the information. If links go to Principal sources that you trust, the hunt is over. If links aren’t included with the information, check the article’s or post’s end to see if they have been included there. If no links are included, a web search for the information may turn up Principal sources you can rely on or it may not.
对信息来源进行事实核查的最简单方法是，如果信息中包含链接，就点击链接。如果链接指向您信任的Principal来源，搜索就结束了。如果链接没有包含在信息中，请检查文章或帖子的结尾，看看它们是否包含在那里。如果不包含链接，则通过网络搜索信息可能会找到您可以依赖的主要来源，也可能无法找到。
If your search does not turn up any additional, reliable sources of the information, you may not be able to accept it as being true. On the other hand, if you turn up contradictory information from equal reliability sources, you may need to do additional research to determine which is accurate.
如果你的搜索没有出现任何额外的，可靠的信息来源，你可能无法接受它是真实的。另一方面，如果你从相同的可靠性来源中发现了相互矛盾的信息，你可能需要做额外的研究来确定哪一个是准确的。
-Google Research Tools
Google has several tools that can be extremely useful in fact-checking sources. First, Google Trends will let you explore your search term. It will tell you how common the search is, when and where most searches occur, and so on. This can help you to determine if something is new information or if it is just being recirculated重新流通.
谷歌有几个工具，可以在事实核查来源非常有用。首先，谷歌趋势将让你探索你的搜索词。它会告诉你搜索的普遍程度，大多数搜索发生的时间和地点，等等。这可以帮助你确定一些东西是新的信息，或者它只是被重新流通。
Another valuable tool is the reverse image search (with more details on using the very simple tool here). By searching for photos from articles or even memes, you can identify when the picture first showed up online and see other places it has been used. Sometimes this can help you determine if a photograph has been changed or altered, or if it is being misrepresented.
另一个有价值的工具是反向图片搜索（这里有关于使用这个非常简单的工具的更多细节）。通过搜索文章甚至是表情包中的照片，你可以确定图片首次出现在网上的时间，并看到它被使用的其他地方。有时，这可以帮助您确定照片是否已被更改或更改，或者是否被歪曲。
-Research and Reading Studies
Sometimes, when we’re researching for a class or following up on the sources for other information, we will need to look at posted research studies. One of the most important things you can do when you read a study is to look at who funded it to determine the motivation of the creators. This is usually listed near the top of a research study under the names of the researcher(s). It tells you who paid for the research.
Whether it was a university or the candle wax manufacturers of America could make a massive difference in how much you should trust the information. The university should be seeking to gain knowledge, while a private company or organization may have a vested interest in convincing you of or selling you something.
有时候，当我们在为某门课做研究或跟进其他信息的来源时，我们需要查看发布的研究报告。当你阅读一项研究时，你可以做的最重要的事情之一就是看看谁资助了这项研究，以确定创作者的动机。这通常列在研究报告的顶部，列在研究者的名字下面。它能告诉你是谁为研究买单。
无论是一所大学还是美国的蜡烛制造商，在你应该相信这些信息的程度上都会有很大的不同。大学应该寻求获得知识，而一家私人公司或组织可能有既得利益，说服你或卖给你一些东西。
Size of a Study and Participants
The other thing that you should always look at is the sample size and make-up of the participants. A study of only several hundred people is very unlikely to be a good representation of society.
Also, studies that consist of groups that are not diverse enough (including everything from gender and race, to economic class or physical location) will tell us about the included groups rather than society as a whole. Studies with lots of participants from a broad range of places and backgrounds will give you the most reliable information about the general population.
For example, if 100 women in rural Ireland all experience headaches resulting from stress—that is interesting but it tells us very little about the average woman in the world. Be cautious with research that claims limited groups are representative of broad social norms.
另一件你应该经常注意的事情是样本容量和参与者的构成。一项只有几百人参加的研究不太可能很好地反映社会情况。
此外，包含不够多样化的群体的研究（包括从性别和种族到经济阶层或地理位置的一切）将告诉我们所包含的群体，而不是作为一个整体的社会。来自不同地方和背景的大量参与者的研究会给你关于一般人群的最可靠的信息。
例如，如果100名Ireland农村妇女都因压力而头痛，这很有趣但它对世界上普通女性的了解却很少。谨慎对待那些声称有限的群体代表广泛的社会规范的研究。
Explore the Methods and Outcomes
Finally, always look at what the authors of a study have to say about what they found. If you are using the study to fact-check a source, ensure that the source’s explanation of the study’s findings matches what the study itself says.
最后，一定要看看研究的作者对他们的发现是怎么说的。如果你正在使用研究来事实核查资料来源，确保资料来源对研究结果的解释与研究本身相符。
-Basic Conclusion
Vetting information isn’t always easy, but the feeling of trust knowing the information you are using and sharing is reliable makes the effort worth it. Considering these elements of your information will increase your ability to trust new information:
Vetting information isn’t always easy, but the feeling of trust knowing the information you are using and sharing is reliable makes the effort worth it. Considering these elements of your information will increase your ability to trust new information:
审查信息并不总是容易的，但知道你正在使用和共享的信息是可靠的信任感使努力是值得的。考虑你的信息的这些元素将增加你信任新信息的能力：
Date of original publication
Who is the source?
Motivation, reputation, and expertise of the source
Language Clues
Fact-Checking
-More advanced tricks: logical fallacies to look out for.
最初出版日期
消息来源是谁？
消息来源的动机、声誉和专业知识
语言线索
事实核查
——更高级的技巧：要注意的逻辑谬误。
One of the most frustrating parts of deciding if information is reliable is that accurate information and data can be used in misleading ways. Here, we will briefly explore some of the most common ways that even accurate information can be used to present a false or inaccurate picture of the facts. We will explore just a few of the most common ways that information can be used misleadingly. These are things to be on the lookout for when gaining new information.
在决定信息是否可靠的过程中，最令人沮丧的部分之一是，准确的信息和数据可能会以误导的方式被使用。在这里，我们将简要探讨一些最常见的方法，即使是准确的信息也可以用来显示虚假或不准确的事实。我们将探讨一些最常见的信息误导使用的方式。在获取新信息时，这些都是需要注意的。
Emotional Appeals and Confirmation Bias
Sometimes we see something, online or offline, and it starts a fire in our belly. You know what I mean; it’s that thing you see or read that makes you so sad, angry or disgusted, so you call your mom, best friend or partner to tell them about the unbelievable thing you just saw. Sometimes this is a fair and reasonable response to tragic or terrible information.
Unfortunately, this is also an easy way to trick us into failing to think or look more deeply at the information. If something makes you feel emotional when you read it, you should be cautious. Check on the information and find Principal sources that confirm the information before you accept it.
有时我们在网上或线下看到一些东西，它会在我们的肚子里引发一场大火。你知道我的意思；是你看到或读到的东西让你如此悲伤、愤怒或厌恶，所以你打电话给你的妈妈、最好的朋友或伴侣，告诉他们你刚刚看到的不可思议的事情。有时，这是对悲惨或可怕信息的公正和合理的反应。
不幸的是，这也是一种简单的方法，可以诱使我们不去思考或更深入地看待信息。如果某件事让你在阅读时感到情绪激动，你应该小心。在接受信息之前，检查信息并找到确认信息的主要来源。
A poster saying “10 billion kids a year are kidnapped” is memorable and shocking, but it is also wholly made-up. Just as the statement “spending 6 months a year on vacation can extend your life by up to 100 years.” Maybe you want it to be true (it feels good to think about) but I just made it up on the spot. Anyone can do that.
This is also true if the information agrees with what you already believe or think that you know. Confirmation bias is another trigger that stops us from thinking more in-depth about something. If we believe that the next neighborhood over is much more dangerous than our own, then we see someone post information saying that that neighborhood is the most dangerous part of the city, we might accept it right away.
一张写着“每年有100亿儿童被绑架”的海报令人难忘和震惊，但它也完全是虚构的。正如声明“每年花6个月的时间度假，可以延长寿命，最多可达100年。” 也许你希望这是真的（想一想感觉很好）但我只是当场编出来的。任何人都能做到。
如果信息与你已经相信或认为你知道的一致，这也是真的。确认偏误是另一个触发因素，它阻止我们更深入地思考某件事。如果我们相信隔壁的社区比我们自己的更危险，然后我们看到有人发布信息说那个社区是这个城市最危险的地方，我们可能会马上接受它。
It seems easy to agree with what we already know; it feels right. However, that right feeling means that we might fail to check on the information, and perhaps that neighborhood is not even in the top 50% of our city’s dangerous areas. Our feelings convinced us to believe a lie.
If something seems or feels right, it is still crucial to check it. Find sources, do research and always remember that something seeming true is not the same thing as it being true.
我们似乎很容易同意我们已经知道的东西；这感觉是对的。然而，这种正确的感觉意味着我们可能无法核实信息，也许那个社区甚至不在我们城市最危险的50%之内。我们的感情使我们相信了一个谎言。
如果某件事看起来或感觉是对的，那么检查它仍然是至关重要的。寻找资料来源，做研究，永远记住，看起来真实的东西和它是真实的是不一样的。
Straw Man Arguments and False Dichotomies
One of the most common ways people attempt to prove a point is with a straw man argument. This means that they present an oversimplified, easy to attack, straw man version of their opponent’s argument—which they can then rip apart.
For example, imagine a university study that says, “oranges have more vitamin C than lemons.” Now, imagine a lemon farmer got mad about this and said: “that university is trying to get people to stop eating lemons to boost oranges’ sales. They think people who eat lemons are less healthy than orange eaters because they get less vitamin C.”
人们试图证明一个观点的最常见的方法之一就是用稻草人论证。这意味着，他们提出了一个过于简单化的，容易攻击的，稻草人版本的对手的论点，然后他们可以撕裂。
例如，设想一个大学的研究，说：“橘子比柠檬含有更多的维生素C。”现在，想象一个种柠檬的农民对此很生气，说：“那所大学正试图让人们停止吃柠檬来促进橙子的销售。他们认为吃柠檬的人比吃橘子的人更不健康，因为他们得到的维生素C更少。”
Strawman arguments take place often, but it’s important to remember that they misrepresent the opponent’s views and should not be trusted as sources of information. Understanding the position of someone you disagree with requires to listen to what they actually say and it takes more effort than simple misrepresentation.
Another trick to be careful with is the false dichotomy. Sometimes someone will try to make you feel like situations are black and white to get you on their side.
If your friend wants you to go out and says, “you have to come with me; otherwise, you’ll just be bored at home,” they fail to take into account the million other things you could do instead. Maybe you won’t be bored but busy working or having fun at home Perhaps you won’t choose to stay home and instead will go to the coffee shop down the street. Similar arguments are often made seeking to gain support, “choose A, or you will get B.”
Right now, it’s pervasive to see people doing this politically, “if you don’t like candidate A you must love candidate B.” In fact, there is a broad range of ways to feel about all candidates, and perhaps you don’t like any of the options. These dichotomies are dangerous because they oversimplify ideas and sometimes pressure us to agree with things we otherwise would not to avoid being on the wrong side.
斯特劳曼的论点经常发生，但重要的是要记住，它们歪曲了对手的观点，不应被信任为信息来源。理解你不同意的人的立场需要倾听他们说的话，这需要付出比简单的虚假陈述更多的努力。
另一个要小心的技巧是错误的二分法。有时，有人会试图让你觉得自己的处境是黑白的，让你站在他们的一边。
如果你的朋友想让你出去说，“你必须和我一起去，否则，你就会在家里感到无聊”，他们没有考虑到你可以做的其他百万件事情。也许你不会感到无聊，但你会忙着工作或者在家玩，也许你不会选择呆在家里，而是会去街上的咖啡店。类似的论点往往是为了获得支持，“选择A，否则你会得到B。”
现在，人们在政治上这样做是很普遍的，“如果你不喜欢候选人A，你必须爱上候选人B。”事实上，对所有候选人都有各种各样的感觉，也许你不喜欢其中的任何一种选择。这些二分法是危险的，因为它们过于简单化，有时迫使我们同意我们不能避免站在错误一边的事情。
Imagine a poster saying; “Join our group. We’re dedicated to stopping climate change by blowing up everyone’s cars. Only people who hate the planet wouldn’t want to do this to save the environment.” This is a very extreme example, but you can see how you could put in a position where you may feel pressure to accept or defend an idea that you usually wouldn’t—even one that could do more harm than good—to prove you do not hate the planet.
想象一张海报上写着；“加入我们的小组。我们致力于通过炸掉每个人的汽车来阻止气候变化。只有憎恨地球的人才不会为了拯救环境而这样做。”这是一个非常极端的例子，但你可以看到，你可以把自己置于一个你可能感到压力的位置，接受或捍卫一个你通常不会接受或捍卫的想法–即使是一个弊大于利的想法–来证明你不恨这个星球。
Correlation Versus Causation and the Burden of Proof
One of the most important things to remember when reading or researching new information is that correlation is not causation. This fact is easily and often forgotten. Consider the fact that everyone who breathes air and drinks water will eventually die. Does this mean that they die because they breathed and drank water? Of course not.
If a study showed that all students at the university who got an A last semester had eaten chocolate cake at their birthday party, would you assume that chocolate cake on a particular day was why they got the grade?
Ask yourself the same question when assessing other information. Often people with green eyes have red hair, but green eyes do not cause red hair. Instead, both are affected by the level of melanin a person produces. Ask yourself if the cause and effect being presented could instead be a correlation, which—while both true—could share another cause or even be unrelated?
It’s also important to remember that the burden of proof always belongs to the person trying to convince someone of something. Sometimes, people will present an argument and argue that you must prove that they are wrong. An example: Aliens live among us on earth in disguise. You can’t prove they don’t, so it’s obviously true.
The burden of proof always falls on the person who presents the theory or idea. If you want to tell your friends that the Yeti is real, you need to provide all of the evidence and information to prove that you are correct. It is never reasonably up to your friends to go out in the woods and prove that the Yeti isn’t real to win the argument.
在阅读或研究新信息时要记住的最重要的事情之一是，相关性不是因果关系。这一事实很容易也经常被遗忘。想想看，每一个呼吸空气和喝水的人最终都会死。这是否意味着他们的死亡是因为他们呼吸和喝水？当然不是。
如果一项研究表明，大学里所有上学期得A的学生都在生日派对上吃了巧克力蛋糕，你会认为某一天的巧克力蛋糕是他们得A的原因吗？
在评估其他信息时也要问自己同样的问题。通常绿色眼睛的人有红色的头发，但绿色眼睛并不导致红色的头发。相反，两者都受到一个人产生的黑色素水平的影响。问问你自己，呈现的原因和结果是否可以是一种相关性，虽然两者都是真的，但可以共享另一个原因，甚至是不相关的？
同样重要的是要记住，举证责任总是属于试图说服别人的人。有时候，人们会提出一个论点，争辩说你必须证明他们是错的。一个例子：在地球上，外星人乔装打扮，生活在我们中间。你不能证明他们没有，所以这显然是真的。
举证责任总是落在提出理论或观点的人身上。如果你想告诉你的朋友Yeti是真实的，你需要提供所有的证据和信息来证明你是正确的。你的朋友永远不应该去树林里证明雪人不是真的，这样才能赢得这场争论。
-Conclusions
Information is powerful. It surrounds us constantly as citizens (and as students) in a way people a few hundred years ago could not even imagine. In this day and age, as educated people, one of our jobs is to learn how to determine if that information is reliable.
Sharing misinformation with our friends and family does them a disservice. After all the work we have done in school, we want our reputations to be that of educated and reliable individuals. By taking the time to consider the information we see and hear, we can be more confident in what we think and believe; we can be more confident in the information we share with others.
信息是强大的。它以一种几百年前的人们甚至无法想象的方式一直围绕着我们这些公民（和学生）。在这个时代，作为受过教育的人，我们的工作之一就是学会如何判断这些信息是否可靠。
与我们的朋友和家人分享错误信息对他们是一种伤害。我们在学校里完成了所有的功课，我们希望我们的声誉是受过教育的和可靠的个人。通过花时间考虑我们看到和听到的信息，我们可以对我们所想和所相信的更有信心；我们可以对我们与他人分享的信息更有信心。
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