Too Much “Official” Truth? Mainstream Media, the Alternative Press and the Construction of Common Knowledge

Abstract

The concept of “common knowledge” is sometimes used in Library Guides designed to explain to students what types of information do and do not require a citation. This paper addresses the implications of this practice. One of the central questions underlying the discussion is whether librarians' use of “common knowledge” risks giving students the impression that certain sources of information do not merit or require skeptical and critical analysis. The paper explores this question by examining the role played by the mainstream media in constructing a common body of knowledge and by discussing what role alternative media and librarians may play in contextualizing and offering alternatives to this common body of knowledge.