Relationships between Variables Related to College Students' News Literacy in Korea

Abstract

This study examines the variables that are college students’ ability to discern fact from opinion, critical thinking skills, and need for cognition. The ability to differentiate between fact and opinion appears to be a key part of being able to evaluate fake news. In addition, critical thinking plays an important role in the process of fact-checking or determining the credibility of news outlets. According to the dissertation study on college students’ fake news discernment in the U.S. (Bak, 2022), critical thinking was a variable that was positively correlated with the fact and opinion discernment, as well as the need for cognition respectively. Based on the dissertation study, the researcher will collect the survey data from college students in Korea with further developed measures. The scale that measures the ability to discern fact and opinion will include borderline statements that have both factual and opinion statements. In addition, the survey will collect information about their general news reading practices. The researcher will discuss differences in statistical models between students in the U.S. and Korea.