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Facts vs. Opinions: How the News Is Changing in the Digital Age

May 14, 2019

Technology has transformed how people get information. But it has also affected the way that information is produced, shared, and disseminated. How much has the presentation of news actually changed over the last three decades?
Commentary

How Community Colleges Can Establish Better Partnerships with Employers

Jun 6, 2019

Career and technical education programs give students a chance to engage in learning relevant to their chosen fields and apply immediately for jobs. A strategic vision of collaboration between industry and community colleges can benefit all parties.

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Commentary

Giving Teachers the Tools They Need to Provide 21st-Century Civics Education

The Capitol attack has rightfully led to many calls for teachers to address civic education in a much more robust way in their classrooms. However, a national survey of social studies teachers suggests that teachers lack the critical training and incentives to do so.

Feb 23, 2021
Journal Article

Financial Literacy and Financial Decision-Making at Older Ages

This paper examines how financial literacy is associated with three types of financial decisions pertinent to older individuals: adherence to timely credit card repayment, stock market participation, and risk diversification of household assets.

Feb 9, 2021
Report

RAND Behavioral Finance Forum: Financial Security Over the Lifespan

Video compilation of the 2020 Behavioral Finance Forum (BeFi). Leaders from academia, government, regulatory agencies, and industry were invited to share the latest research and exchange ideas on the theme of financial security over the lifespan.

Feb 2, 2021
Blog

Keeping COVID-19 Vaccines Moving, the Capitol Attack, Media Literacy: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on keeping COVID-19 vaccines moving to save more lives; why we need a national commission to investigate the U.S. Capitol attack; media literacy as a tool to counter “Truth Decay,” and more.

Jan 22, 2021
Report

Media Literacy Standards to Counter Truth Decay

Media literacy may be a powerful tool against Truth Decay, the diminishing role of facts in public life. What standards could help teachers, policymakers, and others implement media literacy education more effectively?

Jan 19, 2021
Blog

RAND Commentary Highlights from 2020

The roughly 400 op-eds and blog posts published by RAND researchers during the year reflected an enormous variety of expertise and perspectives, from remote education to election cybersecurity to the economic harms of racial disparities. Here are 10 highlights that landed in high-profile news outlets.

Dec 18, 2020
News Release

Financial Woes Grow Worse Over Course of Coronavirus Pandemic; More Families Report Trouble Paying Bills

The economic challenges caused by the coronavirus pandemic have grown worse since the spring for many American families, with an increasing number reporting that they have trouble paying bills.

Dec 17, 2020
Report

Americans' Financial Difficulties Continue

As the pandemic continues, many U.S. households are struggling to pay their bills. No income group has been spared financial difficulties, but the most-vulnerable households have been hit the hardest. There are severe challenges among lower-income workers and among Black and Hispanic households.

Dec 17, 2020
Article

Want to Rebuild Public Trust? Focus on Civic Education

Truth Decay—the diminishing role of facts in American public life—has led to political paralysis, the erosion of civil discourse, and widespread uncertainty. Investing in civic education could help turn the tide.

Dec 8, 2020
Blog

Restoring Public Trust, COVID-19 and Thanksgiving, Vaccinating Teachers: RAND Weekly Recap

This weekly recap focuses on how the Biden-Harris administration can restore public trust, the risk of Thanksgiving becoming a super-spreader event, why teachers should be among the first to get a COVID19 vaccination, and more.

Nov 26, 2020
Commentary

Putting America's Civic Infrastructure on the Biden-Harris Agenda

Much like our bridges and roads, America's civic infrastructure has been allowed to crumble. This has allowed Truth Decay to set in. The new administration can begin to repair the deep fissures in our society by explicitly and implicitly rehabilitating the nation's civic infrastructure.

Nov 19, 2020
Report

The Drivers of Institutional Trust and Distrust

Trust in the government, news media, and other institutions has declined in the past two decades. What factors might explain this decline? And what else do we need to learn in order to begin rebuilding public trust?

Nov 17, 2020
Report

National Guard Youth ChalleNGe: Program Progress in 2018–2019

In the fourth annual report on the National Guard Youth ChalleNGe, a residential, quasi-military program for youth struggling in traditional high school, researchers provide information on participants who entered the program in 2018.

Nov 6, 2020
Commentary

Three Under-the-Radar Lessons from COVID-19

COVID-19 has sculpted into high relief already recognized societal problems, which could be addressed once COVID-19 passes. Failure to do so could be a failure to learn the meta-lessons from COVID-19.

Nov 2, 2020
Essay

The Importance of Teaching Civic Responsibility in America

A survey of civics and social studies teachers asked what they teach, how they teach it, and what they think students need to know. Most said their students absolutely need to learn to be tolerant of different people and groups. And they want their students to see themselves as global citizens.

Oct 29, 2020
Commentary

Think Tanks in the Era of Truth Decay

Truth Decay is the diminishing role of facts and analysis in American public life, and it cuts much deeper than any political party or demographic. It's why nonpartisan think tanks like RAND are as important now as they have ever been.

Oct 22, 2020
Journal Article

Common Laboratory Results Frequently Misunderstood by a Sample of Mechanical Turk Users

Use of Mechanical Turk to determine how well patients understand common laboratory test results.

Oct 2, 2020
Commentary

Police Officers: This Article Will Make You Better at Combatting Misinformation

By deliberately addressing misinformation, police officers can promote safe and healthy behaviors among those in their communities. The actions they take to combat misinformation and improve protections in their communities are a critical part of the collective campaign to end the pandemic and help people return to their normal lives.

Aug 24, 2020
Report

Social Studies Teachers' Perspectives on Key Civic Outcomes in 2010 and 2019

High school social studies teachers play an important role in fostering the civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions that students need to thrive after graduation. How have these teachers' perspectives on student civic development changed from 2010 to 2019?

Aug 3, 2020
Commentary

How You Can Fight Russia's Plans to Troll Americans During Campaign 2020

The goal of Russian interference is to trigger emotional reactions and drive people to ideological extremes, making it nearly impossible to build a consensus. But Americans are less likely to have their emotions manipulated if they are aware that manipulation is the goal.

Jul 14, 2020

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