Distinguishing fact from fiction: when faced with an overload of misinformation being peddled through the media and Internet, the application of common-sense principles can help sort fact from fiction.(CONSPIRACY THEORIES)

With rumors and urban legends circulating more frequently and reaching greater numbers of people, it is more important than ever to learn to tell the difference between fact and fiction and truth and falsehood. In doing so, consider the following points:

* Consider the source. A primary key is to know the track record of the source. When a source repeatedly makes claims that turn out to be false, that source is unreliable. When evaluating information published by sources with unreliable track records, make sure to check the accuracy of the information against other, reliable sources. If you're not sure about the track record of a source's reliability, consider whether the source stands to gain by saying what they're saying (or their financial backers stand to gain).

* Consider the evidence. Extraordinary claims require extraordinarily convincing evidence. Generally speaking, in an article meant to be persuasive, there should be at least three pieces of credible proof backing the assertions being made (preferably proof from several different reliable sources). If the speaker or publication makes astonishing claims but cites mostly anonymous sources, look out. The information may be valid, but withhold judgment until confirmation is possible. There are times when quoting an anonymous source is appropriate, but such citations should be used very sparingly and only when absolutely necessary. Note, too, whether the information is current and needs to be current. Also, quotes and statistics should be verifiable.

* Ensure that the facts support the conclusion. Sometimes factual information is used to support outrageous allegations. The black helicopter rumors of the mid-1990s are a case in point. The black helicopter conspiracy argument, in essence, states: "black helicopters exist and have been used to support, for instance, UN military operations. Therefore, all black helicopter sightings confirm the presence and activity of nefarious UN personnel." The fact is that the U.S. military uses helicopters painted in dark color schemes and that these have been used to support UN operations. It ...