Welcome to “Detecting Truth,” a site dedicated to helping you navigate the world of information.  Information literacy, which the Association of College and Research Libraries (ACRL) calls the abilities to “find, retrieve, analyze, and use information,” has long been useful, but it’s especially important (and tricky) today, when finding the truth means navigating a vast media world filled with valid and valuable information competing with “alternative facts” and “fake news.”

On this site, I will be posting podcasts and occasional articles on various topics related to truth.  I’ll take on questions such as “What exactly is truth?” “How can you tell what’s true and what’s not?”  “What are some good sources to use when conducting research or just trying to find answers?”  I will share some tips from Introduction to Information Literacy for Students, a new book I have written with librarian Michael Alewine, as well as insights from my research on literature and journalism.  I also will draw on my experience as a teacher of research and writing, as well as a researcher and author myself.

What would you like to know about truth, information, facts, “fake news,” or “alternative facts”?  Send me your questions, and I hope to answer them here on “Detecting Truth.”