New Statistics Canada podcast episode (& more) on misinformation

As we slide down the far side of December, with 2024 looming on the horizon... I thought I'd use my last few posts of the year to highlight and update some BUEC Buzz items from the last year. We covered many useful sources and skills in 2023, so why not celebrate a few of them?

Let's start with my recent post about the learning & current awareness resources available from our national statistical agency: Not just numbers: Statistics Canada's educational resources. Check it out if you prefer to learn (and teach!) about the economy using resources that go beyond texts: Statistics Canada has a rich collection of videos, podcasts, data visualizations, and more!

And here's an update: just this morning, Statistics Canada released another episode (season 4, episode 3) of their Eh Sayers podcast. This new episode is focused on misinformation in society and features a conversation between a UAlberta misinformation/disinformation expert and the Assistant Chief Statistician of Canada: A Little Less Misinformation, A Little More True Facts, Please.

If the topic of misinformation is of interest (and, to be clear, from my perspective it really really really should be!), here are a few more resources you might want to check out: 

How to spot fake news: Identifying propaganda, satire, and false information
Super popular SFU Library guide, complete with both cat pics and good advice.

Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review
Straight from the John F. Kennedy School of Government and the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics, and Public Policy, this peer-reviewed (and open access) journal features "high-quality interdisciplinary research that examines misinformation from different perspectives, from its prevalence and impact to the effectiveness of possible interventions." 

Aside: The same parts of Harvard are responsible for one of my long-time favourite resources: The Journalist's Resource. Check it out for solid, research-based overviews of topics in the news (e.g., driving under the influence of cannabis), as well as tip sheets that support clear reporting and help avoid misinformation (e.g., a tip sheet on the right and wrong ways to use "per capita" when talking about economic and health news topics). Good stuff!

Finally, I've been regularly adding new resources to the following post from back in 2021 — On critical thinking: learning & teaching a core skill — so I think it still counts as a 2023 entry worth highlighting, plus critical thinking is key to countering the flood of misinformation we're all dealing with... right? 

OK, I'll stop for now, but please do let me know if you need more suggestions on this important topic!

— Mark
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Mark Bodnar
mbodnar@sfu.ca
Economics & Business Librarian