How to Spot Misinformation - by Melanie Tracek-King

Book Synopsis

From long-time educator and communicator Melanie Trecek-King, A Field Guide to Spotting Misinformation is an essential self-help book for the digital age.

Never in human history have we been exposed to so much information--and misinformation. This creates a fundamental mismatch, where the shortcuts that once kept our ancestors alive now struggle to navigate a digital tidal wave. We're using ancient hardware to find objective truths on powerful pocket-sized computers. What could go wrong?
A Field Guide to Spotting Misinformation will help you learn how to think critically, so you can make wiser decisions for yourselves, your family, and your community. It helps you identify and explore a full range of misinformation--from scams, satire, and advertisements to pseudoscience, science denial, and AI-generated content. But it's not enough to simply know how misinformation works; you also have to be aware of the deeply ingrained emotions, desires, instincts, and biases that make you vulnerable in the first place.
Full of practical tools and strategies to help you think more clearly, A Field Guide to Spotting Misinformation will teach you how to consume the right kind of information. Soon enough, you'll learn how to evaluate your beliefs, make sense of your feeds, master online searches, and fact-check like a pro.

About the Author

Melanie Trecek-King is a science communicator and creator of Thinking Is Power--a twist on the phrase "knowledge is power"--an organization that empowers people with the skills needed to navigate today's complex information landscape. After nearly 20 years as a biology professor, Melanie now works with educators, organizations, and the public to promote science and critical thinking. Her forthcoming book, A Field Guide to Spotting Misinformation, provides practical tools for combating misinformation and explores why we fall for it. Melanie also serves as the Education Director for the Mental Immunity Project and CIRCE (Cognitive Immunology Research Collaborative) and is a Fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry, as well as a columnist for the organization's magazine, Skeptical Inquirer.