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Social studies · Grades 6–12

Checking claims online

Study guide for Grades 6 to 12: 4 key ideas, including pause first, read laterally and find the original; 2 worked examples and 3 practice questions. Simple habits for judging whether information online can be trusted.

One-page printable summary: Checking claims online · Revision sheet.

Make a worksheet

Learn the idea

Pause first

Strong emotions are a signal to slow down before you share.

Read laterally

Open new tabs to see what other trustworthy sources say about the claim and about who published it.

Find the original

Trace quotes, statistics and images back to where they first appeared, and check the date.

Look for evidence

Ask who did the research, where it was published and whether other experts agree.

Worked examples

What is “lateral reading”?

Fact-checkers check a source by looking at what others say about it.

Leaving the page to see what other trustworthy sources say about the claim and its source

Which is the best first question about an unfamiliar website?

Knowing the author and purpose helps you judge reliability.

Who is behind this site, and what is its purpose?

Check your understanding

  1. A photo shared online claims to show a flood “today”. Which check could reveal that it is an older photo?

    1. Reading the caption again
    2. Zooming in on the colours
    3. Counting the likes
    4. A reverse image search

  2. Which headline is most likely designed to provoke emotion rather than inform?

    1. “Province reports 3% rise in apprenticeship registrations”
    2. “You Won’t BELIEVE What This Town Did!!!”
    3. “Library extends weekend hours starting in May”
    4. “City council approves new bike lanes on Main Street”

  3. A post says “a study proves” something. What should you look for?

    1. Who did the study, where it was published, and whether other studies agree
    2. Whether the post has many shares
    3. Whether the post uses the word “proves”
    4. Whether the post is short

Answers and marking notes

Answers and marking notes
  1. A reverse image search

    A reverse image search can find earlier copies of the same image.

  2. “You Won’t BELIEVE What This Town Did!!!”

    Capital letters, exclamation marks and vague teasers aim at emotion.

  3. Who did the study, where it was published, and whether other studies agree

    Evidence quality depends on the research and whether it is confirmed.

How this page was made: written for StudyBrix with AI assistance from our own templates. Answers and worked examples are checked by automated tests, and grade bands are approximate, not an official curriculum alignment. See the editorial policy for corrections. Editorial policy