Social studies · Grades 6–12

Checking claims online · Revision sheet

Reference sheet for Grades 6 to 12: 4 key ideas, including pause first, read laterally and find the original. Simple habits for judging whether information online can be trusted.

Printable summary of the study guide Checking claims online.

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.

Explain without looking

Describe the steps you would take to check whether a viral claim is true.
Explain why sharing an unverified claim can cause harm, even when the person sharing meant well.

Check yourself

Four practice questions on this topic. Try each one before you open the answer.

Is this statement a fact or an opinion? “That movie was boring.”
- a fact
- an opinion
Show the answer
an opinion An opinion tells what someone thinks or feels; people can reasonably disagree.
Is this statement a fact or an opinion? “Cats make better pets than dogs.”
- an opinion
- a fact
Show the answer
an opinion An opinion tells what someone thinks or feels; people can reasonably disagree.
Is this statement a fact or an opinion? “Winter is too long in Canada.”
- a fact
- an opinion
Show the answer
an opinion An opinion tells what someone thinks or feels; people can reasonably disagree.
Is this statement a fact or an opinion? “The Moon travels around Earth.”
- an opinion
- a fact
Show the answer
a fact A fact can be checked with evidence and shown to be true or false.