| | To Rumor Is Human | p. 1 |
| | Swimming in Rumors: The Prevalence and Power of Hearsay | p. 13 |
| | It's Clear That It's Unclear: How Rumors Help Us Make Sense of an Uncertain World | p. 37 |
| | A Family Resemblance: Gossip and Urban Legend, Rumor's Close Cousins | p. 59 |
| | It's a Small World Around the Watercooler: The What, Why, and Where of Rumor Spread | p. 81 |
| | Believe It, or Not: Why We Believe Some Rumors and Not Others | p. 120 |
| | Facts Are Stubborn Things: Taking Stock of the Word on the Street | p. 148 |
| | Managing the Rumor Mill | p. 187 |
| | Epilogue: Doing Rumor Well | p. 217 |
| | Acknowledgments | p. 223 |
| | Notes | p. 225 |
| | Index | p. 281 |