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E9 E - Source-checking challenge

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E9 E - Source-checking challenge

Mini-Beschreibung: Decide which English sources are especially useful for a research question and explain your choice with transparent criteria. You work mainly in English, compare perspectives and evidence, and revise your own judgement.

Level: English as a first foreign language, Year 9, E-level, Baden-Württemberg.

Media start: Can you trust what you see?

Watch the short media. Do not try to understand every word. First notice the key idea.

Datei:Fact-Checking by Jananie Kulandaivelu for the Wikimedia Foundation.webm

Quick response in English:

Fact-checking: Write one sentence: Fact-checking means ...
Source: Name one thing you would check before you trust a source.
Question: Ask one question you still have.

Viewing focus: What does lateral reading mean? Note three words only. Then explain the idea to a partner in your own English.

I can ...

After this aiMOOC, you can say:

I can identify the author, purpose, evidence and context of an English source.
I can compare several sources for one research question.
I can read laterally instead of staying on one website.
I can explain why one source fits a task better than another.
I can use cautious language such as may, suggests and according to.
I can ask spontaneous follow-up questions in a discussion.
I can revise my own source judgement after feedback.
I can mediate the main findings for a German-speaking audience without translating everything.

Activate your prior knowledge

Think – pair – share.

Look at the image. Which signs make an online text look trustworthy? Which signs can be misleading?

Complete the sentence starters:

I usually trust a source when ...
A professional design is not enough because ...
Before I share a claim, I can ...

Hint: A website can look professional and still be weak evidence.

The core idea: source fit, not source fame

A source is not simply good or bad. It can be more or less suitable for a specific question.

Use six transparent criteria:

Criterion	Ask yourself	Useful language
Relevance	Does the source answer my exact question?	This source is directly relevant because ...
Authority	Who created it? What expertise or responsibility do they have?	The author / organisation has expertise in ...
Evidence	Are claims supported by data, references or clearly described methods?	The claim is supported by ...
Currency and context	When was it published or updated? Does the date matter for this question?	The date matters because ...
Purpose and transparency	Is the aim to inform, sell, persuade or entertain? Is this clear?	The purpose appears to be ...
Corroboration	Do other independent sources support the central claim?	This is also supported by ...

Key rule: Do not stop at the page you are checking. Open other tabs and investigate the source, author and claim. This is called lateral reading.

Listening and viewing

Watch selected parts of the video. Work in two rounds.

Round 1 – understand:

What does the speaker do when a website is unfamiliar?
Why does he leave the original page?
What information does he search for?

Round 2 – respond: Explain the method in 30–45 seconds.

First, I ... Then, I ... If I am still unsure, I ...

Ask: Your partner asks one spontaneous follow-up question.

Hint: What would you check if the author is not named?

Improve: Add one precise example.

Use again: Apply the same method to one source in the challenge below.

Source-checking challenge

Research question:

How does sleep affect teenagers, and what should a Year 9 student know about it?

You will compare several English sources. Your task is not to choose the most famous source. Decide which source is most suitable for a specific purpose and explain why.

Source A: official health information

NIMH: The Teen Brain – 7 Things to Know

The page is published by the U.S. National Institute of Mental Health. It gives a short overview of the developing teen brain and includes information about sleep.

Best use to test: a clear overview for teenagers.

Check: institution, update information, scope, references and how directly the page answers the research question.

Source B: research article

The Teensleep study

This open-access research article reports a school-based sleep education study with Year 10 students in UK state schools.

Best use to test: evidence about one specific sleep-education programme.

Check: research question, sample, method, results, limitations and publication information.

Source C: collaborative overview

Wikipedia: Adolescent sleep

This page gives a broad overview and links to many references.

Best use to test: first orientation and finding useful keywords or references.

Check: references, edit history, scope and whether you should follow citations to original research before making a strong claim.

Source D: fictional practice post

StudyBoost Daily – “Five Reasons Every Teen Needs Exactly Nine Hours”

Our team knows the secret to perfect school results. Exactly nine hours of sleep will improve every teenager’s grades. Try our premium planner today!

No named author, no study link, no publication date, and a product is being sold.

Important: This profile is fictional. Do not search for or upload private social-media data.

Best use to test: spotting unsupported certainty, missing evidence and commercial purpose.

Your source-fit grid

Give each source short notes. Do not calculate a magic credibility score.

Source	Relevance	Authority	Evidence	Currency / context	Purpose	Corroboration
A
B
C
D

Then answer:

For a short Year 9 information text, I would use Source ___ for ... and Source ___ for ... . I would not rely on Source ___ alone because ... .

Reading: evidence is more than a confident sentence

A confident claim is not automatically strong evidence.

Compare:

Claim 1: Exactly nine hours improves every teenager’s grades.

Claim 2: Research suggests that sleep is important for adolescent functioning, but individual needs and study outcomes can vary.

The second claim is more careful. Strong source-based writing often uses limits, context and cautious language.

Datei:Media literacy good article.pdf

Datei:Media literacy bad article.pdf

Reading task: Compare the two media examples. List three features that help a reader inspect where information comes from.

Context vocabulary

Learn the words through use, not through full translation.

Word	Simple English meaning	Example
claim	something a source says is true	The article makes a strong claim.
evidence	information used to support a claim	The study provides evidence.
reliable	dependable for a particular purpose	We need reliable evidence.
source	where information comes from	Who created this source?
bias	a tendency that can shape selection or presentation	A purpose can influence the way information is presented.
corroborate	support by checking with independent information	Can another source corroborate the claim?
expertise	special knowledge or skill	The author has expertise in sleep research.
transparent	open about methods, purpose or evidence	The report is transparent about its method.
limitation	something that restricts what a study can show	The sample size is one limitation.

Use again: Choose four words and use them in your source judgement.

Pronunciation and fluency

Clarity is more important than accent imitation.

Practise these chunks aloud:

according to the source
the evidence suggests
a possible limitation is
this source is more relevant because
I would like to challenge that point
what evidence supports that claim?

Fluency task: Speak for 45 seconds without reading a full script. Use three chunks.

Private option: You may record yourself only if you want to. Keep recordings private unless your teacher has agreed on a safe classroom process. No unrequested uploads.

Functional grammar: sound precise, not overconfident

Use language that matches the strength of the evidence.

Function	Useful forms	Example
Report a source	states, reports, explains, suggests	The study reports that ...
Show caution	may, might, appears to, suggests	Sleep may affect attention.
Compare	whereas, while, compared with	Source B gives methods, whereas Source A gives a short overview.
Concede	although, even though	Although the page is useful, it does not answer every part of the question.
Give reasons	because, since, therefore	I would use this source because its evidence is clearly referenced.

Mini-revision:

Change This proves that all teens need the same amount of sleep into a more careful sentence.

Possible frame: This evidence suggests that ..., but ... .

Media check: photos and videos are sources too

A photo or video can be real but used in the wrong context. Check where it first appeared, who published it, when it was recorded and whether independent reporting confirms the context.

Viewing task:

Name one reason why seeing is believing is risky online.
Explain how context can change the meaning of an image.
Apply lateral reading to one visual claim.

Speaking: source conference

Groups of three discuss the sleep research question.

Role A – evidence lead: Which source contains the strongest direct evidence for one claim?

Role B – context lead: What does the date, audience or purpose change?

Role C – challenger: Ask spontaneous follow-up questions.

Useful questions:

How do you know?
Where is the evidence?
Is that source independent?
Does the source answer our exact question?
What is one limitation?
Can we corroborate that claim?

Finish with a 90-second group statement. Do not rank the whole internet. Explain which source fits which purpose.

Writing: a source-based paragraph

Write 140–180 words.

Task: Answer the research question for a Year 9 audience. Use at least two of Sources A–C. Refer to the sources clearly. Include one limitation or uncertainty.

Structure:

Point: Answer one part of the question.
Evidence: Refer to a source.
Compare: Add another source or perspective.
Evaluate: Explain source fit or limitation.
Link: Return to the research question.

Sentence bank:

According to ...

The research article reports ...

This is useful for the question because ...

However, the source is limited because ...

A second source supports / complicates this point by ...

Overall, the evidence suggests ...

Mediation

Your German-speaking class newsletter needs a short note.

Write 60–80 words in German explaining what a younger student should do before using an English online source for a school project.

Do not translate the English sources sentence by sentence. Select the information that fits the purpose and audience.

Help levels

Level 1 – small hint: Start with the research question. Which source answers it most directly?

Level 2 – structure: Check creator → evidence → purpose → date/context → other sources.

Level 3 – language support: Use: This source is useful because ... However ... Another source ... Therefore ...

Level 4 – challenge: Follow one reference from Source C to an original publication and compare the wording of the original with the summary.

Feedback and revision

Use TAG feedback:

T – Tell one thing that is clear.
A – Ask one question about evidence or source fit.
G – Give one concrete suggestion for revision.

Then revise your own text.

Keep your own version. If an AI tool gives feedback, check its factual claims, source references and suggestions before you use them. Do not replace your own text with an unchecked AI rewrite. No external AI access is required for this course.

Error analysis

Find and improve the problem in each sentence:

The website looks modern, so it is reliable.
The article proves that every teenager is the same.
Wikipedia says it, so I do not need to check the references.
The source is old, so it is useless.
The author is an expert, so every claim must be correct.

Think: Which mistake is about relevance, evidence, currency, authority or overgeneralisation?

Transfer challenge

Choose a new school-safe question, for example:

Find three English sources from different source types. Do not use private profiles or personal social-media data.

For each source, write:

I would use this source for ... because ... . I would still check ... .

Can-do check

Mark each statement: Yes / Almost / Not yet.

Can-do statement	Yes	Almost	Not yet
I can identify who is behind a source.
I can explain the purpose of a source.
I can distinguish a claim from evidence.
I can read laterally.
I can corroborate a claim.
I can compare source fit for one research question.
I can use cautious reporting language.
I can revise my judgement after feedback.

Next step: If three or more items are Almost or Not yet, repeat one source check with the help levels. If most are Yes, continue with a follow-up course on Lateral Reading, Misinformation or Argumentative Writing.

Interaktive Aufgaben

Quiz: Teste Dein Wissen

What is the main goal of lateral reading? (To investigate a source by checking information outside the original page) (!To read every word on one webpage) (!To judge a source only by its design) (!To translate the whole page into German)

Which question checks authority most directly? (Who created the source and what expertise do they have?) (!How many pictures are on the page?) (!Is the headline written in large letters?) (!Does the page use bright colours?)

Which feature is the clearest example of evidence? (A study explains its method and links its data or references) (!A claim is repeated three times) (!A website has a modern logo) (!A text uses confident language)

Why can Wikipedia be useful at the start of research? (It can provide an overview, keywords and references to follow) (!It makes all further source checking unnecessary) (!Every sentence is written by one named expert) (!Its age automatically makes every claim current)

Which sentence uses suitable cautious language? (The evidence suggests that sleep may affect attention) (!The evidence proves that every teenager is identical) (!This website can never be wrong) (!One example settles the question completely)

What does corroboration mean in source checking? (Checking whether independent information supports a claim) (!Copying the same claim into another document) (!Trusting a claim because it is popular) (!Choosing the shortest source)

Which factor belongs to purpose and transparency? (Whether the source aims to inform, sell, persuade or entertain) (!Whether the page background is blue) (!Whether the text has exactly five paragraphs) (!Whether the title contains a long word)

Why is publication date sometimes important? (The usefulness of information can depend on how current the topic is) (!Every old source is automatically false) (!Every new source is automatically reliable) (!Dates matter only for printed books)

Which source is most direct for examining the method of one scientific study? (The research article that reports the study) (!A product advertisement) (!An anonymous slogan) (!A page with no references)

What should you do after receiving AI-generated source feedback? (Check the factual claims, sources and suggestions before using them) (!Accept every suggestion immediately) (!Delete your own draft) (!Upload private material for extra feedback)

Memory

Claim	Something a source says is true
Evidence	Support for a claim
Authority	Who created the information and with what expertise
Purpose	Why the source was created
Corroboration	Independent support from other information
Lateral reading	Leaving the page to investigate it elsewhere

Drag and Drop

Ordne die richtigen Begriffe zu.	Thema
Authority	Who is behind the source?
Evidence	What supports the claim?
Purpose	Why was the source created?
Currency	Does the publication date matter?
Corroboration	Do independent sources support the claim?

Kreuzworträtsel

Evidence	What supports a claim?
Author	Who wrote or created a source?
Purpose	Why was a source created?
Currency	Which criterion asks whether the date matters?
Lateral	Which word completes the term reading that means checking outside the original page?
Corroboration	What means independent support for a claim?

LearningApps

Lückentext

Offene Aufgaben

Leicht

Claim detective: Find three claims in one English school-safe article and mark what evidence is given for each.
Source profile: Create a small source card with creator, date, purpose and evidence type.
Two-tab check: Investigate one unfamiliar website by opening two independent sources about the organisation behind it.
One-minute explanation: Explain to a partner why professional design alone does not prove reliability.

Standard

Source-fit comparison: Compare three English sources for one research question using the six criteria from this course.
Expert questions: Design six interview questions for a librarian, journalist or teacher about checking online information.
Visual source check: Choose a school-safe image with a clear public source and investigate its original context.
Evidence paragraph: Write 160–200 words that combine two sources and include one limitation.

Schwer

Mini research project: Research one age-appropriate question with at least four English sources from different source types and document your checking process.
Source conference: Give a three-minute presentation explaining which sources fit which purposes, followed by spontaneous class questions.
Purpose-based mediation: Turn findings from two English sources into a concise German information note for a younger class without full translation.
Revision portfolio: Submit first draft, peer feedback, your source-check notes and a revised final version. Explain three changes and why you made them.

Lernkontrolle

Source-fit decision: You receive three short English source extracts about the same topic. Decide which source you would use for a scientific explanation, which for orientation and which only with strong caution. Justify every decision with criteria.
Claim audit: Analyse one paragraph and separate claim, evidence, interpretation and uncertainty. Rewrite one overconfident statement.
Lateral-reading plan: For an unfamiliar website, describe the exact sequence of checks you would make outside the page and explain why each step helps.
Perspective comparison: Compare how two sources frame the same issue. Explain how purpose, audience and evidence shape the presentation without assuming that difference automatically means falsehood.
Transfer task: Apply the source-checking criteria to a new English topic and write a short recommendation for how a classmate should use the sources in a school project.
Revision reflection: Revise a source-based paragraph after peer feedback and explain which changes improved evidence use, caution or coherence.

Lernnachweis

For a successful learning record, show that you can:

formulate or understand a clear research question.
inspect author or organisation, evidence, date/context and purpose.
use lateral reading and corroboration.
distinguish source suitability from appearance or popularity.
compare at least two perspectives or source types.
write a coherent English argument with source references and cautious language.
respond to questions and justify your decisions orally.
revise your own text after feedback while keeping your own draft.
mediate selected information for a specific audience and purpose.
handle media safely: no private social-media data, no unrequested uploads, voluntary/private recordings only.
check AI-generated factual claims, sources and feedback before using them.

OERs zum Thema

Weitere offene bzw. frei zugängliche Lernmedien:

Datei:Wikimedia UK Vs Fake News.webm

Research links used in the challenge:

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