Lateral reading

Lateral reading means leaving a page to investigate its publisher, author, evidence, and reputation through other sources. It helps counter the temptation to judge credibility from visual polish, confident language, or an impressive-looking about page. Research on civic online reasoning examines this approach as a skill that can be taught. Use it when encountering an unfamiliar source: open separate searches for the organization and the central claim, then inspect the underlying evidence. Do not replace one superficial judgment with another by trusting the first outside result automatically. Consider who produced that result and whether it is independent. Keep the original page available so you can compare what it says with what the investigation establishes. Lateral reading improves source evaluation; it does not remove the need to read relevant evidence carefully.

Editorial review: 2026-09-23. New evidence may change this account.

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