E10 M - Verify AI-generated information and sources
aiMOOCE10 M - Verify AI-generated information and sources
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E10 M - Verify AI-generated information and sources
Mini-description: Check AI claims, data and references with suitable independent sources. Spot possible hallucinated sources and unsupported claims before you use them.
Level: English as a first foreign language, Klasse 10, M-Niveau, Baden-Württemberg. B1-oriented: natural standard audio, longer simple authentic input, more independent work and fewer language supports.
Media start: Look at the flowchart. Choose one question that matters most before you use an AI answer. Explain your choice in one English sentence.
Watch first, then think: You do not need every word. Listen for the big idea: Who made the information, why was it published, and what evidence supports it?
Einleitung
Generative AI can produce useful language and ideas, but a fluent answer is not proof. AI output can be inaccurate, outdated, unsupported or linked to a reference that does not exist. Your job is not to distrust everything. Your job is to verify important claims before you use them.
In this course, you use the TRACE workflow:
- Turn the AI answer into checkable claims.
- Retrieve the original source.
- Assess author, date, publisher and context.
- Cross-check the claim with a suitable independent source.
- Explain your verdict: supported, partly supported, unverified, outdated, mis-cited or fabricated.
A hallucinated source is a commonly used term for a reference that an AI system presents as real although it cannot be verified and may not exist. NIST uses the more technical term confabulation for confidently presented false content. Do not label a source fabricated after one failed search: check the title, author, date, publisher, URL or DOI carefully first.
Important: A polished website, a confident tone and a long reference list do not make a claim true. Evidence must actually match the claim.
Media note: The embedded Wikimedia Commons images are freely licensed on their file pages. Open the image page when you need the exact creator and licence details for reuse.
I-can goals
By the end, I can:
- identify checkable claims in an AI answer.
- verify whether a cited source exists.
- find the original source behind a quotation, number or study.
- compare information with an independent source.
- explain uncertainty with clear B1-level English.
- discuss, negotiate and present a source verdict.
- write a short verification note with source references.
- mediate the key meaning for a different audience instead of translating word for word.
Prior knowledge: 3-minute warm-up
Without using an AI tool, answer in English:
- What makes a source trustworthy for a school task?
- What could go wrong when an AI gives you a statistic?
- What would you do if an AI gives you a book or article title that you cannot find?
Keep your first answers. You will revise them later.
Current Baden-Württemberg exam connection
Checked on 2 October 2026. For the Realschulabschlussprüfung 2027, the official Baden-Württemberg rules state that the written compulsory-foreign-language exam has Parts A-E: listening, text-based tasks, vocabulary/grammar in context, topic-based language production and applied methods. The pure working time is 150 minutes, plus a 20-minute break after Part A. No dictionary is available in Part A; a bilingual dictionary is available for Parts B-E. The communication exam includes monologue, dialogue and mediation and lasts about 15 minutes per student without preparation time. The written English main date is 3 May 2027; the communication-exam window is 22 February to 2 March 2027. The revised Bildungsplan 2016 V2 becomes relevant for the Realschulabschlussprüfung from 2028/2029, so the 2027 exam still refers to the previous BP2016 standards.
Official check:
- KM Baden-Württemberg: Abschlussprüfung Haupt- und Realschulen
- KM Baden-Württemberg: Prüfungstermine
- Bildungsplan Englisch als erste Fremdsprache, Klasse 10
This aiMOOC practises the same broad language skills, but it is not an official exam paper. Always check the current official rules before an exam.
Understand: Listening and Viewing
Video 1: Lateral reading
Watch about minutes 1:15-9:15. Use English captions if useful. Then answer:
- What does lateral reading mean?
- Why is reading only one website from top to bottom not enough?
- Which new tab would you open first to check a source?
- What is one sign that a source deserves a closer look?
Listening strategy: First listen for gist. On the second viewing, note only names, reasons and evidence. Do not try to translate every sentence.
Video 2: Who can you trust?
Choose one source from a school research task. Check three things: authority, process, perspective. Then tell a partner which point is strongest and which point still needs checking.
Read and analyse
Authentic reading mission
Open the official UK Department for Education guidance on generative AI in education. Read the section that explains possible weaknesses of generated content and one following paragraph.
Do not translate the whole passage. In English, note:
- four possible weaknesses of generated content.
- one reason why human checking is still needed.
- one sentence that connects the guidance to your own school research.
Training case: a fictitious AI answer
FICTITIOUS TRAINING CLAIM — NOT A REAL SOURCE:
A 2025 report by the Northbridge Youth Data Institute found that 82% of European students use generative AI every day for homework. The report is called "AI Habits in European Schools" and was written by Lena Morton.
Your task is not to guess whether this is true. Use TRACE:
- Turn the sentence into separate claims: report exists, author exists, title exists, year is correct, number is 82%, population is European students.
- Retrieve the alleged original publication by exact title and author.
- Assess the publisher, publication date and method if you find it.
- Cross-check the statistic with an independent source.
- Explain what you can and cannot verify.
Possible verdicts: supported | partly supported | unverified | outdated | mis-cited | fabricated
Source check: what counts as good evidence?
For a school task, match the claim to the right kind of source:
- A claim about an exam rule → check the responsible ministry or official exam document.
- A claim about a research study → find the original paper, journal page, DOI or trusted academic database record.
- A statistic → find the original dataset or the institution that collected the data.
- A current event → compare more than one reliable news source and, when possible, the original statement or document.
- A picture or video → trace the earliest reliable upload and check date, place and context.
Two pages are not automatically independent. If both copy the same press release or each other, they may be one information chain.
Verify the citation, not just the claim
When an AI gives you a reference, check:
- exact title
- author or organisation
- publication date
- journal, publisher or institution
- DOI or stable URL
- whether the source really contains the quoted idea, number or conclusion
A real source can still be mis-cited. The article may exist but not support what the AI says.
Viewing task: Note how Wikipedia can help you get an overview and trace references. For important school claims, open the cited source and verify it directly instead of stopping at the summary.
Data and context
A number can be correct and still mislead if the year, group, sample size or question is different from what the AI claims. Ask: Who was counted? When? Where? How? Compared with what?
After viewing, choose one chart or statistic from a school source and write two context questions that could change its meaning.
Error, misinformation and disinformation
Not every false AI output is deliberate disinformation. Misinformation is false or inaccurate information shared without the intent to deceive. Disinformation is false information spread deliberately to mislead. For this course, focus first on what you can verify: the claim, evidence and source.
Context vocabulary
| English | Short support in German | Useful phrase |
|---|---|---|
| claim | überprüfbare Aussage | The claim says that ... |
| evidence | Beleg / Evidenz | The evidence supports ... |
| source | Quelle | I traced the source to ... |
| citation | Quellenangabe | The citation is incomplete. |
| reliable | verlässlich | This source seems reliable because ... |
| independent | unabhängig | I found an independent source. |
| original source | Originalquelle | The original source states ... |
| fabricated | erfunden | The reference may be fabricated. |
| unsupported | nicht belegt | This claim is unsupported. |
| outdated | veraltet | The data may be outdated. |
| context | Zusammenhang | In context, the number means ... |
| cross-check | gegenprüfen | I cross-checked the claim. |
Pronunciation for clear communication
Aim for clear, understandable speech, not accent-free speech. Stress the strong syllable:
- re-LI-a-ble
- EV-i-dence
- ci-TA-tion
- in-de-PEN-dent
- ver-i-fi-CA-tion
Say each word once, then use it in a short sentence. Recording is optional. If you record yourself, keep the recording private unless you actively choose to share it. No upload is required.
Respond and communicate
Speaking: source-verification meeting
Work in pairs. Person A wants to use an AI-generated claim in a class presentation. Person B is the source checker. Discuss for two minutes, then change roles.
Use natural phrases:
- What is the original source?
- How do we know this source is independent?
- The evidence seems to support only part of the claim.
- I am not fully convinced because ...
- Can we verify the date or sample?
- For now, I would label this unverified.
React to your partner. Ask follow-up questions. Do not read a complete script.
Functional grammar: report carefully
Use language that matches the strength of the evidence.
Reporting verbs
- The report states that ...
- The author argues that ...
- The data suggests that ...
- The website claims that ...
Hedging
- This may be correct, but ...
- The source appears to be reliable because ...
- The evidence does not fully support ...
- It is unclear whether ...
Useful conditionals
- If the source cannot be found, mark it as unverified.
- If two sites copy the same source, find another independent source.
Mini-task: Rewrite This AI answer is definitely true so that the sentence shows the actual level of evidence.
Writing: verification note
Write about 120-160 words. Keep your own wording.
Structure:
- Name the claim.
- Name the source you checked.
- Explain what the source does or does not support.
- Add one independent check.
- Give a careful verdict.
- Add the source links or full source details.
Choose a format: a short verification report, a formal e-mail to a teacher, or an article paragraph for a class website.
Do not ask an external AI to write the final text for you. If your school permits AI feedback, compare suggestions with your original text and decide yourself what to revise. Keep your own draft.
Mediation: meaning before translation
Fictitious situation: A German school notice says that students should verify AI-generated facts and sources before using them in assessed work. An English-speaking exchange student asks what matters.
Explain the key points in English for that student. Do not translate every word. Select what the person needs, make the purpose clear and use simple, accurate language.
Feedback, revise and transfer
Peer feedback: TRACE check
Give feedback on a partner's verification note:
- T — Are the checkable claims clear?
- R — Is the original source retrieved?
- A — Are author, date, publisher and context assessed?
- C — Is there a genuinely independent cross-check?
- E — Is the verdict explained with suitable cautious language?
Give one positive point and one precise revision suggestion.
Error analysis
Classify each problem before you revise:
- Source error: The reference cannot be found or details do not match.
- Evidence error: The source exists but does not support the claim.
- Context error: The number or quotation is taken out of context.
- Language error: The English is unclear or too absolute.
- Process error: You stopped after one search result.
Then correct the process, not only the sentence.
Transfer question: What kind of evidence would actually prove the claim you are checking?
Transfer to other English tasks
Use the same source language in reports, articles, opinions, formal e-mails and presentations. Before you repeat an impressive number, quotation or named study, trace it first. In application or CV practice, use only fictitious profiles and fictitious applications.
When sources discuss people, places or cultures, avoid stereotypes. Check whether important perspectives are missing.
Privacy and safe working
You do not need an external AI tool to complete this course. Do not paste personal data, private school documents, real applications, passwords or other people's work into external AI systems. Any speaking recording is voluntary and can stay private.
Can-do check
Mark each statement: Yes | Almost | Not yet
- I can separate an AI answer into checkable claims.
- I can verify whether a reference exists.
- I can trace a number or quotation to its original context.
- I can find a suitable independent cross-check.
- I can explain why two copied pages are not independent.
- I can use may, might, appears, suggests to show uncertainty.
- I can discuss a source and react spontaneously.
- I can write a short source-based verification note.
- I can mediate the key meaning for another person.
Return to your 3-minute warm-up and improve one answer in English.
Folgekurs
Next: E10 M - Compare evidence and perspectives. Use verified sources to compare viewpoints, build an argument and respond to counterarguments.
Verified course sources
These sources were checked when this aiMOOC was created:
- NIST: Generative Artificial Intelligence Profile — defines confabulation and discusses false or misleading generated content and citations.
- UNESCO: Guidance for generative AI in education and research — human-centred, age-appropriate and privacy-aware use.
- UK Department for Education: Generative AI in education — warns that generated content can be inaccurate, biased, out of date or unreliable and requires critical checking.
- Bildungsplan Baden-Württemberg: Englisch als erste Fremdsprache, Klasse 10 — functional communication, reading, listening/viewing, writing, mediation and text/media competence.
- Kultusministerium Baden-Württemberg: Realschulabschlussprüfung — current official exam documents and communication-exam standards.
Interaktive Aufgaben
Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen
What is the best first step when an AI answer contains several factual statements? (Turn the answer into separate checkable claims) (!Trust the answer if it sounds confident) (!Search only the AI company website) (!Copy the whole answer into your notes)
How can you check whether an AI-provided article reference is real? (Search the exact title, author and publisher and open the original record) (!Check whether the title sounds academic) (!Count how many words the title has) (!Ask the same AI to repeat the reference)
When are two sources genuinely more useful for cross-checking? (When they are independent and do not simply copy the same source) (!When they use the same wording) (!When they have the same logo) (!When they appear next to each other in search results)
What does a mis-cited source mean in this course? (The source exists but does not support the claim as stated) (!The source has a long title) (!The source is written in English) (!The source is older than one week)
What should you check when an AI gives you a statistic? (The group, date, method and original data source) (!Only whether the number is above 50) (!Only whether the number has a percent sign) (!Only whether another website repeats it)
What is lateral reading? (Leaving a page to check what other sources say about it) (!Reading every line on one page twice) (!Reading only the page footer) (!Reading a text from right to left)
Which sentence shows appropriate uncertainty? (The evidence suggests that the claim may be correct) (!The claim is true because the AI said so) (!This source can never be wrong) (!A confident answer is always reliable)
What is the main goal of mediation? (Transfer the relevant meaning for the purpose and audience) (!Translate every word in the same order) (!Replace all difficult words with German) (!Add information that was not in the source)
What should you do if you cannot verify a reference after careful checking? (Label it unverified and explain what you checked) (!Invent missing publication details) (!Use it anyway because it looks plausible) (!Change the author's name until you find a match)
Why should you open the original source behind a quotation or number? (To check whether the source really supports the claim in context) (!To make the bibliography longer) (!To avoid reading any other sources) (!To prove that every AI answer is false)
Memory
| Claim | Checkable statement |
| Evidence | Support for a conclusion |
| Citation | Details that identify a source |
| Lateral reading | Checking information outside the original page |
| Primary source | Original document or dataset |
| Unsupported | Not backed by enough evidence |
Drag and Drop
| Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu. | Situation |
|---|---|
| Supported | Reliable evidence matches the claim |
| Unverified | There is not enough evidence yet |
| Outdated | The source is real but no longer current |
| Mis-cited | The source exists but does not say what is claimed |
| Fabricated | The alleged reference appears not to exist after careful checks |
Kreuzworträtsel
| Evidence | What do you call information that supports a claim? |
| Citation | What identifies a source with details such as author and title? |
| Context | What can change the meaning of a quotation or statistic? |
| Author | Who wrote or created a source? |
| Verify | Which verb means to check whether something is accurate? |
| Publisher | Which organisation or company makes a source public? |
LearningApps
Lückentext
Offene Aufgaben
Leicht
- Claim spotting: Mark five checkable claims in a short AI-style paragraph written by your teacher or class.
- Citation detective: Check whether the title, author, year and publisher of one training reference match each other.
- Media scan: Use the IFLA infographic above and choose three checks that also work for AI-generated content.
- Clear speech: Practise four key words from the pronunciation section in short source-check sentences. A private recording is optional.
Standard
- Lateral reading challenge: Compare one webpage with two independent sources and explain which facts you can confirm.
- Data check: Find the original context of one statistic and write the group, year, method and limitation.
- Source comparison: Compare an official source and a news summary of the same factual topic. Explain what each source is useful for.
- Verification note: Write 120-160 words that explain a claim, your checks, your evidence and your verdict.
Schwer
- Mini investigation: Audit three claims from a fictitious AI answer and document your search path so another student can repeat it.
- Evidence debate: In a group, negotiate which source set is strong enough for a class presentation and justify your decision in English.
- Mediation mission: Read a short German source-check rule and explain the relevant meaning in English for a fictitious exchange student.
- Source-audit presentation: Give a three-minute presentation on one verified claim, one failed source check and one lesson for future research. Answer one spontaneous question.
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Lernkontrolle
- Evidence fit: You receive a claim and three sources. Decide which source directly supports the claim, which gives only background and which is not independent. Explain your reasoning.
- Hallucinated reference diagnosis: A fictitious AI gives a detailed journal reference that cannot be found. Describe a fair verification process before you label it fabricated.
- Revise overconfidence: Rewrite a short paragraph that uses words such as definitely and proves even though the evidence is weak. Keep the meaning but match the certainty to the evidence.
- Context transfer: A real statistic is reused for a different country and year. Explain why the new claim may be misleading and what data you need.
- Speaking transfer: Prepare a 90-second response to a partner who wants to cite an AI answer immediately. Use at least one follow-up question and one cautious phrase.
- Mediation transfer: Explain a German source-check notice to an English-speaking student in a new situation. Select what matters for that person instead of translating word for word.
Lernnachweis
For a successful Lernnachweis, show that you can:
- identify factual claims that need checking.
- verify citation details and trace the original source.
- use at least one suitable independent cross-check.
- check data, date, group and context.
- distinguish supported, partly supported, unverified, outdated, mis-cited and fabricated information.
- write a clear verification note in your own words with source references.
- use cautious source language and explain uncertainty.
- discuss evidence, react to questions and mediate key information for an audience.
- work safely: no personal data in external AI tools and no required public uploads.
OERs zum Thema
Wikipedia can be a starting point for orientation and source tracing. Verify important claims in the cited original sources.
Verknüpfte Lernbereiche