Fact or Fiction?
Use this checklist* to avoid the pitfalls posed by the rise of fake news
Take a closer look. Read these books to
examine the impact of the 2016 elections on
the changing media landscape.
Learn more at cqpress.com
Consider
the
source
of
the
information.
Is
it
legitimate
and
trustworthy?
Does
it
have
high
standards
for
accuracy,
balance,
and
fairness?
Are
the
articles
bylined–
and
if
so,
what
do
searches
on
the
authors'
names
tell
you
about
their
qualifications
and
trustworthiness?
When
you
read
an
article,
ask
yourself:
Why
should
I
believe
it?
Be wary of bloggers.
Some bloggers lack expertise on a
subject and don't follow conventional
editorial standards.
Check blog posts against coverage of
the same topic in the mainstream media.
Watch
for
bias
among
media
personalities.
Are
they
fair
and
impartial
or
are
they
promoting
their
own
views
or
those
of
a
political
party,
pressure
group,
or
other
entity?
Media
personalities
can
be
bias
towards
liberal
or
conservative
agendas,
especially
on
cable
news
shows.
Use
Google
as
a
starting
point,
not
an
ending
point,
in
your
research.
Remember,
the
first
hits
in
an
internet
search
aren't
always
the
most
reliable.
Follow
the
money.
Studies,
think
tank
reports,
and
opinion
articles
may
be
funded
by
corporations,
foundations,
or
advocacy
groups
with
ideological
agendas.
Ask
yourself:
How
might
funding
have
influenced
the
content?
Be wary of articles labeled
"sponsored content."
Such content typically means a
company, organization, or perhaps
even a government entity paid for it.
Look
out
for
strange
or
unfamiliar
URLs
or
domain
names,
such
as
those
that
end
in
.com.co
or
lo.
They
can
be
the
first
clues
that
a
site
may
be
trafficking
in
fake
news.
Check
the
site's
"About"
section
–
if
it
has
one.
Often,
you'll
find
clues
to
whether
the
site
is
legitimate
and
whether
it
follows
acceptable
editorial
standards.
Some
bogus
publications
have
fake
mailing
addresses,
a
clear
sign
of
their
intent
to
deceive.
When
in
doubt,
don't.
Don't
use
information
in
an
assignment,
broadcast
it
on
social
media,
or
tweet
it
in
a
way
that
implies
it's
true
if
you
suspect
it
is
not.
Nothing
kills
fake
news
faster
than
healthy
skepticism
and
a
commitment
to
quality
research.
CQ Researcher, founded in 1923, is an award winning, single-
topic newsmagazine published by SAGE Publishing. Each
in-depth, scrupulously balanced weekly report is written by
an experienced journalist and professionally fact-checked.
*From the editors of
library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher
