Mission SOR:
Mission Worksheet
Online Investigative Strategies
Can you spot a credible source?
+Quiz
+info
#5
#3
#1
Test your skills: Mission Credible
#4
Source #1
What is the SOR Framework?
Source #2
Credibility Criteria:
#2
+info
+info
+Quiz
Create your Evaluation Tool
Going Farther
Contact and Legal
+info
+info
+info
Learn how to investigate a source using:
- Lateral Reading
- Click Restraint
- Wise Use of Wikipedia
Use the icons to the left to explore these strategies.
Pasha, H. (2020, February 1). black chess piece on chess board. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/black-chess-piece-on-chess-board-nEbMedmVwgw
Understanding the Three Rules of Credibility:
The rules of credibility focus on three areas:
- Conflict of Interest
- Relevant Scientific Expertise
- Alignment with Scientific Consensus
Use the icons to the left to explore these rules.
Winkler, M. (2020, April 13). magnifying glass on white table. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/magnifying-glass-on-white-table-afW1hht0NSs
Can you spot a credible source?
Use your source evaluation tool to determine the credibility of source #1 and source #2. The responses to the questions should be entered on Schoology by accessing the "Can you spot a credible source" assessment.
Article 1:
Title: "New Study Finds Green Tea Can Boost Brain Power"
A recent study published by the Healthy Living Journal claims that drinking green tea daily can improve memory and cognitive function. The article is written by Dr. Jane Smith, a registered dietitian with a PhD in nutrition. The study was funded by a large tea company.
Questions:
1. Conflicts of Interest: Does the article show any potential conflicts of interest? Why or why not?
2. Relevant Scientific Expertise: Does the author have relevant scientific expertise?
3. Alignment with Scientific Consensus: Is the claim in line with what most scientific studies say about green tea and brain function? (you will need to research this) 4. Lateral Reading: What are the results of your lateral reading steps?
5. Click Restraint: Explain how you applied "Click Restraint" when researching the article claim (#3) 6. Wise Use of Wikipedia: How could Wikipedia help you learn more about green tea and its effects? 7. Is this a credible source of information? Why or why not?
Create Your Own Source Evaluation Tool
Instructions: Using what you’ve learned in the Mission SOR module, you will create your own source evaluation tool. The tool template seen to the right was provided to you on paper at the start of the mission. The digital version can be found on Schoology and is titled "Mission SOR Worksheet". The tool you create should be a list of key questions to ask yourself or steps you should take when determining if a source is credible, reliable, and unbiased. These questions/steps should help guide your thinking whenever you read or research information online.
What is the SOR Framework?
The Scientific Online Reasoning (SOR) framework is a set of competencies used to evaluate scientific sources online. (Pimentel, 2024) The framework utilizes defined credibility criteria and online investigative strategies to aid in identifying credible scientific online sources.
Credibility Criteria 1. Conflicts of Interest 2. Relevant Scientific Expertise 3. Alignment with Scientific Consensus
Online Investigative Strategies: 1. Lateral Reading
2. Click Restraint
3. Wise Use of Wikipedia
rawpixel. (n.d.). Alone America American announcement breaking news [Photograph]. Needpix. https://www.needpix.com/photo/1801912/alone-america-american-announcement-breaking-news-business-news-couch-design-space-european
Online Investigative Strategies Quiz
Instructions: Answer the following on Schoology under the "Online Investigative Strategies Quiz" assignment in the Mission SOR folder.
1. Lateral Reading
o What is it?
o How can it help you check a source’s credibility?
2. Click Restraint
o What does this strategy involve?
o Why is it useful when searching online?
3. Wise Use of Wikipedia
o How can Wikipedia be helpful when evaluating sources?
o What are the limitations?
Credibility Criteria Quiz:
Instructions: Answer the following on Schoology under the "Credibility Criteria Quiz" assignment in thie Mission SOR folder:
1. Conflicts of Interest
o What does this mean?
o Why should you look for it in a source?
2. Relevant Scientific Expertise
o What makes someone a credible expert?
o How can you check their expertise?
3. Alignment with Scientific Consensus
o What is scientific consensus?
o Why does it matter when evaluating claims?
Can you spot a credible source?
Use your source evaluation tool to determine the credibility of source #1 and source #2. The responses to the questions should be entered on Schoology by accessing the "Can you spot a credible source" assessment.
Article 2:
Title: "5G Technology Causes Health Problems, Say Experts"
This article on TechNews Today warns that 5G cell towers are harmful to human health and cause illnesses. It quotes an engineer with no medical background and cites some blogs instead of scientific journals.
Questions:
1. Conflicts of Interest: Does the article show any potential conflicts of interest? Why or why not?
2. Relevant Scientific Expertise: Does the author have relevant scientific expertise?
3. Alignment with Scientific Consensus: Is the claim in line with what most scientific studies say about 5G technology and health problems? (you will need to research this) 4. Lateral Reading: What are the results of your lateral reading steps?
5. Click Restraint: Explain how you applied "Click Restraint" when researching the article claim (#3) 6. Wise Use of Wikipedia: How could Wikipedia help you learn more about 5G technology and its effects? 7. Is this a credible source of information? Why or why not?
Schoology Source Evaluation
Instructions: Now that you have practiced using the SOR framework to check the credibility of sources, it's time to put your skills to the test! Use the Schoology "Source Evaluations Discussion Board" to complete the following:
Find two science sources online:
- One credible source (trustworthy, reliable)
- One non-credible source (not trustworthy, unreliable)
- Post both sources on Schoology (just the links are fine) to the "Source Evaluation Discussion Board" assignment.
Your classmates will try to figure out which one is credible, and which one isn’t — so choose carefully! Remember to use the SOR steps when picking your sources!4. Once you have posted your sources for evaluation, evaluate two of your peers' posted sources. You'll need to use your evaluation tool and post which sources you think are credible and which are not. ALL POSTS MUST BE SCHOOL APPROPRIATE.
Mission SOR Worksheet:
Students will receive this worksheet in class. Absent students can complete the activity digitally as homework
Contact and Legal Information
Contact: Mrs. Bryant abbybryant@mrsbryantsclassroom.net
Disclaimer: For Educational Use
- This activity is designed to help students learn how to identify credible and non-credible sources online.
- Any websites, examples, or sources shown in this module are included for learning purposes only. They are not endorsed by the district, school, or teacher.
- Please use critical thinking as you work through the activity.
Mission Credible
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Transcript
Mission SOR:
Mission Worksheet
Online Investigative Strategies
Can you spot a credible source?
+Quiz
+info
#5
#3
#1
Test your skills: Mission Credible
#4
Source #1
What is the SOR Framework?
Source #2
Credibility Criteria:
#2
+info
+info
+Quiz
Create your Evaluation Tool
Going Farther
Contact and Legal
+info
+info
+info
Learn how to investigate a source using:
Use the icons to the left to explore these strategies.
Pasha, H. (2020, February 1). black chess piece on chess board. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/black-chess-piece-on-chess-board-nEbMedmVwgw
Understanding the Three Rules of Credibility:
The rules of credibility focus on three areas:
Use the icons to the left to explore these rules.
Winkler, M. (2020, April 13). magnifying glass on white table. Unsplash. https://unsplash.com/photos/magnifying-glass-on-white-table-afW1hht0NSs
Can you spot a credible source?
Use your source evaluation tool to determine the credibility of source #1 and source #2. The responses to the questions should be entered on Schoology by accessing the "Can you spot a credible source" assessment.
Article 1: Title: "New Study Finds Green Tea Can Boost Brain Power" A recent study published by the Healthy Living Journal claims that drinking green tea daily can improve memory and cognitive function. The article is written by Dr. Jane Smith, a registered dietitian with a PhD in nutrition. The study was funded by a large tea company.
Questions: 1. Conflicts of Interest: Does the article show any potential conflicts of interest? Why or why not? 2. Relevant Scientific Expertise: Does the author have relevant scientific expertise? 3. Alignment with Scientific Consensus: Is the claim in line with what most scientific studies say about green tea and brain function? (you will need to research this) 4. Lateral Reading: What are the results of your lateral reading steps? 5. Click Restraint: Explain how you applied "Click Restraint" when researching the article claim (#3) 6. Wise Use of Wikipedia: How could Wikipedia help you learn more about green tea and its effects? 7. Is this a credible source of information? Why or why not?
Create Your Own Source Evaluation Tool
Instructions: Using what you’ve learned in the Mission SOR module, you will create your own source evaluation tool. The tool template seen to the right was provided to you on paper at the start of the mission. The digital version can be found on Schoology and is titled "Mission SOR Worksheet". The tool you create should be a list of key questions to ask yourself or steps you should take when determining if a source is credible, reliable, and unbiased. These questions/steps should help guide your thinking whenever you read or research information online.
What is the SOR Framework?
The Scientific Online Reasoning (SOR) framework is a set of competencies used to evaluate scientific sources online. (Pimentel, 2024) The framework utilizes defined credibility criteria and online investigative strategies to aid in identifying credible scientific online sources.
Credibility Criteria 1. Conflicts of Interest 2. Relevant Scientific Expertise 3. Alignment with Scientific Consensus
Online Investigative Strategies: 1. Lateral Reading 2. Click Restraint 3. Wise Use of Wikipedia
rawpixel. (n.d.). Alone America American announcement breaking news [Photograph]. Needpix. https://www.needpix.com/photo/1801912/alone-america-american-announcement-breaking-news-business-news-couch-design-space-european
Online Investigative Strategies Quiz
Instructions: Answer the following on Schoology under the "Online Investigative Strategies Quiz" assignment in the Mission SOR folder.
1. Lateral Reading o What is it? o How can it help you check a source’s credibility? 2. Click Restraint o What does this strategy involve? o Why is it useful when searching online? 3. Wise Use of Wikipedia o How can Wikipedia be helpful when evaluating sources? o What are the limitations?
Credibility Criteria Quiz:
Instructions: Answer the following on Schoology under the "Credibility Criteria Quiz" assignment in thie Mission SOR folder:
1. Conflicts of Interest o What does this mean? o Why should you look for it in a source? 2. Relevant Scientific Expertise o What makes someone a credible expert? o How can you check their expertise? 3. Alignment with Scientific Consensus o What is scientific consensus? o Why does it matter when evaluating claims?
Can you spot a credible source?
Use your source evaluation tool to determine the credibility of source #1 and source #2. The responses to the questions should be entered on Schoology by accessing the "Can you spot a credible source" assessment.
Article 2: Title: "5G Technology Causes Health Problems, Say Experts" This article on TechNews Today warns that 5G cell towers are harmful to human health and cause illnesses. It quotes an engineer with no medical background and cites some blogs instead of scientific journals.
Questions: 1. Conflicts of Interest: Does the article show any potential conflicts of interest? Why or why not? 2. Relevant Scientific Expertise: Does the author have relevant scientific expertise? 3. Alignment with Scientific Consensus: Is the claim in line with what most scientific studies say about 5G technology and health problems? (you will need to research this) 4. Lateral Reading: What are the results of your lateral reading steps? 5. Click Restraint: Explain how you applied "Click Restraint" when researching the article claim (#3) 6. Wise Use of Wikipedia: How could Wikipedia help you learn more about 5G technology and its effects? 7. Is this a credible source of information? Why or why not?
Schoology Source Evaluation
Instructions: Now that you have practiced using the SOR framework to check the credibility of sources, it's time to put your skills to the test! Use the Schoology "Source Evaluations Discussion Board" to complete the following:
Find two science sources online:
- One credible source (trustworthy, reliable)
- One non-credible source (not trustworthy, unreliable)
- Post both sources on Schoology (just the links are fine) to the "Source Evaluation Discussion Board" assignment.
Your classmates will try to figure out which one is credible, and which one isn’t — so choose carefully! Remember to use the SOR steps when picking your sources!4. Once you have posted your sources for evaluation, evaluate two of your peers' posted sources. You'll need to use your evaluation tool and post which sources you think are credible and which are not. ALL POSTS MUST BE SCHOOL APPROPRIATE.Mission SOR Worksheet:
Students will receive this worksheet in class. Absent students can complete the activity digitally as homework
Contact and Legal Information
Contact: Mrs. Bryant abbybryant@mrsbryantsclassroom.net
Disclaimer: For Educational Use