Can I trust this information? Using adolescent narratives to uncover online information seeking processes

Abstract

Adolescent internet usage is incredibly prevalent, marking a need for educational support as they navigate online texts. As online texts are prone to bias and misinformation, it is important to fully understand how young people conceptualize this information and where they need support. These texts may also contain harmful messages, particularly for typically marginalized groups. Higher levels of literacies related to online media consumption have been shown to mitigate these negative effects, and may help to limit bias and increase criticality. Researchers have illuminated underlying processes surrounding online text comprehension, though research is limited on these processes in authentic spaces. Utilizing think-aloud, focus group, and observational data, the present study seeks to understand adolescent online research and information-seeking skills, providing implications for literacy educators and curriculum developers.