Information Literacy in Practice: Lateral Reading across Search Engines

This module is an OER designed for Information Literacy instruction in higher education and can be adapted for use in a 6-12 classroom.

Learning Outcomes

• Students will use lateral reading to evaluate search engines.

• Students will reflect on the differences between a Google search and a Marginalia search.

ACRL Frame(s) Addressed

• Authority is Constructed and Contextual

• Searching as Strategic Exploration

• Scholarship as Conversation

Instruction Details

• Requires computer and display for demonstration

• Slides can be used for live instruction or fully online environment

Prerequisites

• Previous instruction to introduce and explore Lateral Reading

• Asynchronous Reflective Case Study assignment (see below)

Asynchronous assignment completed before instruction session:

This assignment will pose a information-seeking task to students. Ideally, this task is tailored to the class goals or themes. As an example, we will use "Why might users prefer an alternative to Google search?"

You've been assigned a group project on search engines, and your part of the project focuses on the question "Why might users prefer an alternative to Google search?" You are required to begin your research using Google's search engine and perform some aspect of lateral reading as you evaluate the results. You should only spend 5-10 minutes on this research, but you must take notes on the following elements of your process:

• The way you accessed Google search (e.g., mobile app; direct search in web address bar; browser visit to google.com; voice-activated assistant, such as Siri or Gemini)

• The exact phrase, keywords, or question used to prompt the search and why you employed this strategy (Searching as Strategic Exploration - ACRL Framework)

• The lateral reading techniques you employed and any relevant results

• A brief description of one resource you deemed authoritative and why

  (Authority is constructed and contextual - ACRL Framework).

• A brief description of one resource you excluded and why

Use the designated submission tool to report all of these findings and reflect on your process -- this could be a discussion board in an online course environment, a loom-style video shared with the class, a written reflection, or whatever tool best fits the needs of the students and the course.

Opener:

After reviewing the basic concepts of lateral reading as a strategy to evaluate sources and issues of authority, have students work together to generate a list of situations when it would be appropriate to use lateral reading. Instructors interested in employing digital tools could set this activity within a padlet or similar interactive tool. The assumption here is that students will identify lateral reading as a technique for evaluating the results of information-seeking: individual resources such as websites, organizations, articles, or video content shared on social media. Guide students to the conclusion that lateral reading can also be used to evaluate platforms, tools, or even the search engines themselves.

Transition to activity:

• Ask: Why do you think the asynchronous case study assignment asked you to begin with Google?

• Ask: Do you know how Google works? Have you ever thought to question the authority of Google?

• Ask: What might it look like to perform lateral reading on the search engine itself?

Activity:

Despite its ubiquity, Google (the website) is often bypassed entirely and most don't know the history, aims, or vision of the search behemoth. (If appropriate, refer to the various means of access used by students in asynchronous assignment). On the classroom display, navigate to google.com and have students notice the different aspects of the landing page. When students point out the "How Search works" item, ask if any of them have ever explored that offering. Explain that just as we use lateral reading to examine a resource to determine its purpose or motive, to evaluate bias, and to consider authority, we should consider doing the same with the tools we use to conduct our search. Explain that we don't have to understand the exact science behind the tech to become better informed about the tool.

Walk students through a brief overview of what Google offers in this area. Note the multiple steps required, each taking a user away from the search process, the many layers Google places between the search tool and this learning opportunity. Ask: Is this transparency?

If students have individual devices, instructors can allow several minutes to have students explore the large number of options and report back to the group with what they found and how this information made them feel. If instructors prefer to maintain focus on live display, select "Discover Our Approach" and highlight key information, such as "How Search Works," "Info Quality," and "Accessing Info." The point here is not to be comprehensive; instead, the point is to determine what it would take for someone to perform thoughtful lateral reading under these circumstances. Using a poll feature or discussion, have students indicate their opinion on Google as an authority on search, providing evidence from this exploration as well as their user experience from the case study assignment.

Ask: Besides Google, are there search engines you prefer? Why or why not?

Ask: What are some potential problems with using only one search engine? What problems might arise if we only used one media outlet for the news?

Ask: Have you ever heard of Marginalia Search?

On the classroom display, go to marginalia-search.com

Encourage students to note what they see on this landing page and how it differs from Google's. Explore the About page.

Ask: Is this transparency?

Ask: How does Marginalia elevate voices that might be hidden or minimized in traditional search? (Scholarship as Conversation - ACRL Framework)

Draw attention to this quote:

Marginalia isn’t seeking to replace Bing or Google, but to complement them, to provide a minority report that keeps them honest.

Use one example to demonstrate for the class (or have each student use their own device to perform the same information-seeking in Marginalia that they previously did in Google). Note that Marginalia is a keyword-based search engine, so they may have to alter their prompt. Direct them to the filters on the side panel, particularly the "Academia" option and to the labels present on many entries. Hovering over these elements provides a definition of what they indicate. More information is also available at the bottom of each page of search results.

Just as before, we are looking at what it takes to perform lateral reading ON the search engine itself. Using a poll feature or discussion, have students indicate their opinion on Marginalia as an authority on search, providing evidence from this exploration as well as their user experience.

Ask: Does Marginalia offer you tools to perform lateral reading on the results? (be sure to demonstrate the i tool for detailed information about the domain)

Ask: How do you feel about the search process itself? Hard? Easy? Frustrating?

Ask: How does Marginalia compare to Google overall? Would you use it again?

Conclusions

There are so many ways to conduct a reflective wrapping of this exercise, so specific activities or assignments won't be found here. The purpose of this exercise is not to privilege the small-web David of Marginalia over the massive Goliath that is Google. Instead, it's to help students see the value of looking outside the norms. Search should feel like an act of exploration, a discovery of unexpected things. Any low-to-no stakes reflective activity would be appropriate (journal, discussion board post, sticky note exit task, etc...)