Which practice involves not clicking the first result and scanning multiple sources and headlines before committing to any one link?

• A. Cross-Referencing
• B. Click Restraint
• C. Verification
• D. Lateral Reading

Answer: (B)

The main idea here is exercising restraint and deliberate evaluation when you encounter search results. Not clicking the first link and instead scanning multiple sources and headlines before committing to any one link encourages you to gather a range of perspectives, check for consistency, and avoid being swayed by a flashy headline or a biased source. This habit helps you assess credibility before you dive into a single article, which is a fundamental skill in media literacy.

This behavior aligns best with click restraint, because it centers on slowing down the initial step of clicking and choosing a link only after you’ve done some quick, broad vetting across several sources. By looking at multiple headlines and sources first, you’re building a more reliable sense of what’s accurate or trustworthy before you commit to reading or sharing anything.

Cross-referencing focuses more on comparing details across sources once you’ve started reading, verification is about confirming a claim’s truth, and lateral reading is a broader strategy of leaving the page to evaluate the credibility of the source itself. While related, the specific habit described—holding off on the first result and surveying multiple sources first—best matches click restraint.