How Ninth Graders Reason About Information Sources: Evidence From German and French Students

• In Event: Cognitive Processes in Reading Comprehension

Abstract

Current studies show a paradox between what teenagers “know” and what they “do” regarding the evaluation of information sources while reading multiple documents. The purpose of our study was to understand whether ninth graders know about the benefits of source evaluation and under which conditions they apply this knowledge. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 44 students from one German and one French school. Results show that students are knowledgeable about how sources can help them judging trustworthiness. However, in the absence of direct prompts, reinforcement or adequate tasks, students perceive sourcing as neither necessary, nor important for deciding on the validity of information. Our study contributes to identifying the conditions that may improve sourcing behavior among ninth graders.

Authors

• Mônica Macedo-Rouet, University of Paris 8

• Johanna Paul, University of Muenster

• Marc Stadtler, University of Münster

• Jean-Francois Rouet, CNRS and University of Poitiers