Evaluating News Sources: A Journalist’s Perspective

This library guide will help you evaluate news sources that you may find on the World Wide Web. The sources and techniques provided here were part of a workshop given on October 11, 2019 by journalist Benjamin Fractenberg titled "Evaluating News Sources: A Journalist’s Perspective."

Source: Library of Congress

• Confirm facts and figures presented in the news article or webpage? 
• What is the expertise of the author(s)?
• If the author is making a deductive argument, does the logic make sense? Common fake or bogus arguments.

• Handy chart for evaluating some major news sites
• Some good resources for checking stories or narratives:
  1. Snopes
  2. Factcheck

Who is providing information? 

• Is their account verified with the blue check mark? 
• If not, can you verify who they are? Do they provide source material for their information? 
• If so, can you click on the link and evaluate it yourself? Is any other trusted source reporting this information?