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E8 M - Check AI-generated information and sources

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E8 M - Check AI-generated information and sources

Mini-description: Prüfe von KI genannte Sachinformationen beziehungsweise Quellen über unabhängige geeignete Quellen und erkenne mögliche erfundene Angaben.

Level: English as a first foreign language, Klasse 8, M-Niveau, Baden-Württemberg. Du arbeitest überwiegend auf Englisch. Deutsche Hilfe kommt nur dann, wenn Kontext, eigener Versuch, Nachfrage und englischer Hinweis nicht reichen.

Media start – Look before you read: What is the person doing? Name three actions in English: check – compare – verify. Then predict: Why might this be important when an AI gives you a confident answer?

Einleitung

Generative AI can produce useful ideas and explanations, but a confident answer is not automatically a correct answer. AI systems can also produce false facts, mixed-up details or references that do not exist. A common term is AI hallucination; the more technical word confabulation is also used. This does not mean that a machine “sees” things like a human.

Your job in this course is simple: Do not trust or reject an AI answer just because it sounds good. Check it.

A good check uses suitable outside sources. One independent source is better than a second page that only copies the first one. For important schoolwork, compare information, trace claims back to the original source when possible and mark anything you cannot verify.

Privacy rule: All profiles and examples in this course are fictional. Do not use private social-media data. Recordings are voluntary and stay private. No task requires you to upload personal data or use an external AI service.

Learning rule: AI may support your checking, but it must not replace your own text, thinking or final decision. Also check AI-generated language levels, facts and feedback.

I-can goals

I can identify a factual claim in an AI-generated answer.
I can check whether a named source really exists.
I can compare information from independent suitable sources.
I can explain why one source is useful for a specific claim.
I can use the passive to describe a checking process.
I can report statements, questions and commands using reported speech.
I can mark information as verified, uncertain or not verified.
I can present my checking result clearly in English.

Your help ladder

Use this order before asking for a German explanation:

Context: Read the sentence before and after the difficult part.
Try: Guess the meaning or answer.
Ask: Ask a partner a short question in English.
Hint: Use the English hint below the task.
German help: Use only the short German key word if you still need it.

German key words only: claim = Behauptung; evidence = Beleg; source = Quelle; reliable = verlässlich; independent = unabhängig; verify = überprüfen.

Vorwissen

Quick check – no search yet.

A fictional AI gives this answer:

“According to the Northbridge Journal of Digital Learning, students remember 82% more vocabulary when they use AI flashcards. The study was published by J. Miller in 2025.”

What can you know before checking?

You can see a precise number.
You can see a journal title, an author and a year.
You cannot yet know whether the journal, article or result is real.
A precise-looking citation is not proof.

Try: Write two search questions you would use to test the answer.

Hint: Search the exact title or author, then look for a trustworthy publication page, library catalogue or another independent source.

Feedback: If your plan only says “ask the AI again”, improve it. The check should leave the AI answer and look outside it.

Media entry: visible errors and invisible errors

This AI-generated image contains a visible body error. Text errors can be harder to spot because a sentence may look normal.

Transfer: If an image can look realistic but contain a strange detail, what could the text version of that problem be?

Possible answer: A text may sound fluent but contain a wrong date, invented statistic, false quotation or non-existent source.

The four-step check

Use the short routine STOP – SOURCE – COMPARE – TRACE.

STOP: Do not copy or share the claim immediately.
SOURCE: Who published it? Does the source exist? Is it suitable for this topic?
COMPARE: What do independent sources say?
TRACE: Can you find the original study, report, dataset, interview or official document?

This connects to lateral reading: instead of staying on one page, you open other sources and investigate what they say about the claim or source.

Image task: Explain in one English sentence why opening new tabs can improve a source check.

Model: New tabs can help me compare the claim with information outside the original page.

A source is not evidence just because it has a title

Check the reference itself:

Is the author real and connected to the topic?
Does the title exist exactly as written?
Is the publisher, journal or organisation real?
Does the date match?
Does the source actually support the claim?
Can another suitable source confirm the key information?

Important: Not finding a source in one quick search does not prove that it is fake. It means: not verified yet.

Source strength depends on the question

A source can be useful for one claim and weak for another.

Example: If you want to know a school’s official exam date, the school’s official page is a strong source. If you want to know whether students liked the exam, the official page may not answer that question.

So ask: Useful for what claim?

Listening and Viewing

Viewing 1: Fact checking

Watch selected parts of The Facts about Fact Checking – Crash Course Navigating Digital Information #2.

Before watching: Predict two questions a professional fact-checker might ask.

While watching: Listen for ideas about:

who is behind the information,
why it was published,
what evidence supports it.

After watching: Complete this sentence in your own words:

A good fact-checker is sceptical, but not cynical, because ...

Hint: sceptical = asking for evidence; cynical = assuming everything is bad or false.

Viewing 2: Compare news sources

Watch How to choose your news – TED-Ed.

Listening focus: Note three actions that help a reader check information before sharing it.

Challenge: Which action could also help you check an AI-generated answer? Give a reason.

Direct feedback: A strong answer mentions comparing sources, looking for context or verifying information before passing it on.

Viewing 3: SIFT in a real source chain

Watch the section beginning around 4:02 in Evaluating Sources & Fact Checking – Crash Course Scientific Thinking #6.

The video introduces SIFT:

Stop.
Investigate the source.
Find better coverage.
Trace claims to the original context.

Viewing task: Which SIFT step is closest to each course step: SOURCE, COMPARE and TRACE?

Feedback: SOURCE connects to Investigate; COMPARE connects to Find better coverage; TRACE connects to Trace claims to the original context.

Listening with several speakers

The following profiles are fictional. A teacher or three learners can read the dialogue at a moderate natural speed. Listen once for the main idea and once for details.

Maya: “The AI says that a 2025 study proved teenagers learn twice as fast with background music.”

Ben: “Did it name the study?”

Maya: “Yes. It gave a title, but I couldn’t find that title on the university website.”

Noor: “I found a different review about music and learning. It says the effect depends on the task.”

Ben: “So the AI claim has not been confirmed.”

Maya: “Right. I had copied the sentence into my notes before I checked it.”

Noor: “Our teacher told us, ‘Trace the claim to the original source.’”

Ben: “Then we should mark the statement as unverified for now.”

Listening check:

What was the original claim?
What problem did Maya find?
What did Noor find?
What should the group write in its notes?

Receptive grammar notice: In I had copied the sentence ... before I checked it, the past perfect shows which past action happened first. You only need to recognise this form here.

Reading

Adapted authentic-style text

Read the short text. It is written for this course, but it uses ideas found in professional fact-checking guidance.

Why checking AI output matters

An AI system generates likely text; it does not automatically verify every sentence against reality. A response may therefore contain accurate information, inaccurate information or invented details. References can also be wrong or non-existent.

A careful user isolates the claim first. Then the source is investigated outside the AI answer. Better coverage is found, and important claims are traced back to original evidence when possible. If different sources disagree, the disagreement should be reported instead of hidden.

The final result does not always need to be “true” or “false”. Sometimes the best label is not verified, partly supported or uncertain.

Reading task: Find one sentence that explains:

why fluent language is not enough,
what to do with a source,
what to do when evidence is unclear.

Feedback: Your evidence should come directly from the text, not from what you already believe.

Context vocabulary

English	Meaning in this course	Use it
claim	a statement that can be checked	The claim needs evidence.
evidence	information that supports or challenges a claim	What evidence supports it?
source	where information comes from	Check the original source.
independent	not simply copying the same origin	Use an independent source.
verify	check with evidence	We verified the date.
fabricated	invented	The reference may be fabricated.
reliable	dependable for a specific purpose	Is this source reliable for the claim?
uncertain	not clear enough to confirm	The result is still uncertain.

Mini-task: Choose three words and create one source-checking sentence with each.

Pronunciation

Clarity matters more than accent imitation.

Practise these words in short chunks:

verify – stress the first syllable strongly enough to be clear.
reliable – keep all four syllables audible.
evidence – do not rush the middle syllable.
source – finish the word clearly.
fabricated – stress the first part of -ca- clearly in connected speech.

Pair check: Say: We verified the source, but the evidence was uncertain.

Your partner checks only two things: clear key words and understandable sentence rhythm.

Speaking

Source-check discussion

Work with a partner. Use this structure:

A: The AI claimed that ...

B: What source was given?

A: The source was ...

B: Was it verified independently?

A: Yes / Not yet. I found ...

B: So our conclusion is ... because ...

M-level challenge: Give at least two reasons and respond to one partner question without reading a full script.

Short presentation

Give a 60–90 second presentation:

State the AI-generated claim.
Explain how it was checked.
Name the strongest evidence you found.
State what remains uncertain.
Give your conclusion without exaggeration.

Fluency + accuracy: Keep speaking even if one word is missing, but correct important factual or grammar errors afterwards.

Writing

A short fact-check report

Write 120–160 words.

Title: Checking an AI-generated claim

Use this structure:

Claim: What did the AI say?
Check: Which sources did you inspect?
Evidence: What did they show?
Result: verified, partly supported, uncertain or not verified?
Reflection: What would you do differently next time?

Rule: Your final report must be your own text. AI-generated wording must not replace your writing.

Professional email practice

Write a short formal email to a fictional school librarian.

Situation: You found a reference in an AI answer but cannot verify it.

Include:

a clear subject,
the exact reference,
what you have already checked,
one polite request for help,
a closing.

Useful phrase: Could you help me check whether this source is available in a reliable catalogue?

Mediation

A younger German-speaking learner asks: Warum reicht es nicht, wenn die KI eine Quelle nennt?

Explain the answer in 3–4 simple English sentences. You may use the German key words in the help ladder, but do not translate the whole course.

Target idea: A source name can itself be wrong. The source must exist, match the claim and be checked outside the AI answer.

Functional grammar

Passive voice – productive use

Use the passive when the process is more important than the person.

Active: We checked the reference.

Passive: The reference was checked.

Active: Two independent sources confirmed the date.

Passive: The date was confirmed by two independent sources.

Try: Rewrite:

We compared the claim with the original report.
The librarian verified the publication details.
Our group marked the statistic as uncertain.

Feedback:

The claim was compared with the original report.
The publication details were verified by the librarian.
The statistic was marked as uncertain by our group.

Reported speech – statements, questions and commands

Statement with backshift:

Direct: Maya said, “The source is missing.”

Reported: Maya said that the source was missing.

Question:

Direct: Ben asked, “Does the article exist?”

Reported: Ben asked whether the article existed.

Command:

Direct: The teacher said, “Check the original source.”

Reported: The teacher told us to check the original source.

Try:

Noor said, “The result is uncertain.”
Maya asked, “Can we find the study?”
The teacher said, “Do not copy unverified statistics.”

Feedback:

Noor said that the result was uncertain.
Maya asked whether they could find the study.
The teacher told them not to copy unverified statistics.

Staged help

Level 1 – Context hint: Look for names, dates, numbers, titles and links. These are checkable details.

Level 2 – Search hint: Put an exact article title in quotation marks when searching.

Level 3 – Source hint: Look for the publisher or organisation, not only reposts.

Level 4 – Compare hint: Ask whether two pages really have separate evidence.

Level 5 – German key help: Quelle finden → Quelle prüfen → andere Quelle vergleichen → Originalbeleg suchen.

Error analysis

Find the problem in each checking strategy.

The AI gave three links, so the answer must be correct.
I found the same sentence on five websites, so I have five independent sources.
I could not find the study in 30 seconds, so it is definitely fake.
The website looks professional, so I did not check who published it.
The AI corrected my report, so I accepted every correction.

Direct feedback:

Links can be wrong, irrelevant or invented.
Several sites may copy the same original source.
A failed quick search means not verified yet, not automatically fake.
Design is not evidence of reliability.
AI feedback must also be checked; keep control of your own text.

A practical checking card

Before you use an AI-generated fact in schoolwork, ask:

What exactly is the claim?
Where is the evidence?
Does the named source exist?
Does the source really support this claim?
What does an independent suitable source say?
Can I trace the information to an original context?
What should I mark as uncertain?

Transfer

New situation: A fictional AI writes:

“The city library of Greenford opened in 1897 and was designed by architect Lena Hartwell. A 2024 visitor report says that 71% of teenagers use its media lab every week.”

You do not know Greenford, Lena Hartwell or the report.

Task: Plan a check without using the AI again.

A strong plan:

separates the opening date, architect and percentage into three claims,
chooses suitable sources for each,
checks whether the 2024 report exists,
distinguishes official information from independent confirmation,
records uncertainty.

Can-do check

Rate each statement: Yes – Almost – Not yet.

I can separate an AI answer into checkable claims.
I can test whether a reference exists.
I can compare independent sources.
I can explain why a source fits a claim.
I can mark unverified information clearly.
I can use passive forms in a fact-check report.
I can report a statement, question and command.
I can explain my checking result in understandable English.

Next step: If you chose Almost or Not yet three times or more, repeat the four-step check with one new teacher-provided example before moving on.

Folgekurs

Continue with E8 M - Compare online sources and evidence to practise comparing two or more sources that disagree, including author purpose, evidence quality and missing context.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

What should you do first when an AI gives you an important factual claim? (Stop and identify the exact claim) (!Copy it into your final text) (!Assume it is wrong) (!Ask the same AI to repeat it)

What does lateral reading mean in this course? (Check a claim using information outside the original page) (!Read one webpage from top to bottom) (!Translate every sentence into German) (!Use only the links inside one article)

Which result is best when a source cannot yet be confirmed? (Mark it as not verified yet) (!Call it definitely fake) (!Use it without a note) (!Delete every source on the topic)

What makes two sources independent? (They do not simply depend on the same information origin) (!They use different fonts) (!They have different web addresses) (!They both agree with the AI)

What should you check about an AI-generated reference? (Whether it exists and supports the claim) (!Whether the title sounds academic) (!Whether it contains many numbers) (!Whether the AI writes it confidently)

Which sentence correctly uses the passive? (The source was checked by the group) (!The group was check the source) (!The source checked by the group) (!The source is check yesterday)

Which sentence correctly reports a question? (Maya asked whether the article existed) (!Maya asked did the article exist) (!Maya asked whether does the article exist) (!Maya said whether the article existed)

Which sentence correctly reports a command? (The teacher told us to check the source) (!The teacher asked that check the source) (!The teacher told us check the source) (!The teacher said us to checked the source)

Why is a professional-looking website not enough proof? (Design does not show whether the evidence is reliable) (!Professional sites never have authors) (!Websites cannot contain facts) (!Only printed books can be checked)

What should you do with AI-generated feedback on your own writing? (Check it and keep responsibility for your final text) (!Accept every correction automatically) (!Replace your whole text with it) (!Upload private information for better feedback)

Memory

Claim	Checkable statement
Evidence	Support for or against a claim
Lateral reading	Checking outside the original page
Trace	Follow information to its original context
Fabricated citation	Invented reference
Independent source	Separate information origin

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
Stop	Pause before using the claim
Investigate	Check who is behind the source
Compare	Look for independent suitable coverage
Trace	Find the original context
Label uncertainty	Mark what is not verified

Kreuzworträtsel

Evidence	What can support or challenge a claim?
Source	Where does information come from?
Author	Who created or wrote the material?
Context	What helps you understand where a claim comes from?
Verify	What verb means to check with evidence?
Passive	Which grammar form focuses on an action or process?

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Claim spotting: Mark every checkable fact in a short teacher-provided AI answer and underline names, dates and numbers.
Source search plan: Write three search steps for checking one fictional reference without using an AI system.
Media observation: Use one Commons image from this course and explain how visible image errors can help you think about invisible text errors.
Vocabulary card: Create a mini fact-checking card with claim, evidence, source, verify and uncertain, each used in your own English sentence.

Standard

Reference audit: Check a teacher-provided fictional reference in suitable catalogues or publisher pages and document each search step.
Two-source comparison: Compare two independent suitable sources about one harmless factual school topic and explain where they agree or differ.
Fact-check dialogue: Perform a two-minute partner discussion using at least one passive sentence and one reported question.
Short report: Write a 120–160 word fact-check report and add a final line naming one remaining uncertainty.

Schwer

Source chain: Trace a claim from a summary page to a more original source and describe what changed on the way.
Error diagnosis: Create a fictional AI answer containing one wrong fact and one invented source, then exchange it with a partner for checking; label the fiction clearly.
Mini presentation: Present a checked claim in 90 seconds, including evidence, limits and one audience question.
Transfer checklist: Design a one-page classroom checklist for checking AI-generated facts, source details, language-level feedback and corrections without handing over authorship.

Lernkontrolle

Source-choice transfer: For three different claims, choose different suitable source types and justify each choice instead of naming one “best” source for everything.
Conflicting evidence: Two reliable sources disagree. Explain what you would check next and how you would report the disagreement without hiding it.
Reference problem: An AI names an article that you cannot find. Develop a fair conclusion that avoids both blind trust and an unsupported accusation of fabrication.
Grammar in action: Turn a short checking process into a four-sentence report using at least two passive forms and one reported question.
Responsible use: Explain how you can use AI support while keeping your own writing, protecting privacy and independently checking facts and feedback.
Transfer to another subject: Apply STOP – SOURCE – COMPARE – TRACE to a factual claim from science, geography or history and explain which parts of the method stay the same.

Lernnachweis

Für einen Lernnachweis zu diesem Thema ist wichtig, dass Du zeigen kannst:

Du erkennst überprüfbare Sachbehauptungen in KI-Ausgaben.
Du kannst feststellen, ob eine genannte Quelle tatsächlich existiert.
Du vergleichst unabhängige und zum jeweiligen Anspruch passende Quellen.
Du verfolgst zentrale Aussagen möglichst bis zum ursprünglichen Kontext zurück.
Du unterscheidest bestätigt, teilweise gestützt, unsicher und noch nicht überprüft.
Du dokumentierst Deinen Rechercheweg nachvollziehbar.
Du verwendest das Passiv produktiv, wenn der Prüfprozess im Mittelpunkt steht.
Du kannst Aussagen, Fragen und Aufforderungen in reported speech wiedergeben.
Du formulierst Ergebnisse verständlich auf Englisch und setzt Verständlichkeit vor Akzentfreiheit.
Du schützt private Daten und nutzt freiwillige Aufnahmen nur privat.
Du prüfst auch KI-generiertes Feedback und lässt eigene Texte nicht durch KI ersetzen.