Research Guides: INF 240: Digital News Reporting (Loggins): Fact-checking

Fact-checking steps

First, identify both facts and opinions within the document.
- Note: An opinion that is given in by a secondary source cited is an attributed opinion and requires checking the original publication.
Is there a citation?
- In a scholarly peer-reviewed article, citations are required for facts (unless they are extremely common knowledge) and opinions held by others.
- In a news article, facts and opinions are not accompanied by citations but may have sources mentioned in the text.
  - For example: If a news article has an interviewee stating their opinion about a certain subject, they may use that opinion in a future article when discussing their own stance about an issue.
- The author's own opinions do not require citations unless they are based on a third-party source of information.
If there is a citation, locate and evaluate the source using one of the tests on the "Evaluation and Citation" tab of this guide.
- Use the 5W's test for non-news websites. Websites are generally found using search engines.
- Use the CRAAP test for scholarly articles. Scholarly articles are generally found through the library and contain references lists at the end.
- Use the Fake News test for news articles. You may find news articles on news websites (by using a search engine) or in library databases.
If there is not a citation,
- For facts: use one of the library's encyclopedia databases to find an article on the subject. See the "Encyclopedia databases" box on this page.
- For opinions held by others (also known as attributed opinions): use one of the library's controversial issues databases to find an article on the subject. See the "Controversial issues" box on this page.

Click here to take the quiz

Encyclopedia databases

Britannica Academic This link opens in a new window
Britannica Academic contains both the Encyclopedia Britannica and the Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary, as well as magazine and journal articles written by Pulitzer Prize winners and leading experts, a world atlas, country data, and timelines.
Credo Reference E-Book Collection This link opens in a new window
Reference e-books on a wide range of topics. Sources include dictionaries, encyclopedias, key concepts, key thinkers, handbooks, atlases, and more. Search by keyword or browse titles by topic.
Gale Virtual Reference Library This link opens in a new window
Over 1200 cross-searchable reference e-books on a wide variety of subjects.
Funk & Wagnall's New World Encyclopedia This link opens in a new window
Provides over 25,000 encyclopedic entries on a wide variety of subjects.

Controversial issues

Opposing Viewpoints This link opens in a new window
Contextual information and opinions on hundreds of social issues. The resource includes continuously updated viewpoints, topic overviews, full-text magazines, academic journals, news primary source documents, statistics, images, videos, audio and links to vetted websites.
CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
In-depth reporting on current controversial issues, with an introductory overview; background and chronology on the topic; an assessment of the current situation; tables and maps; pro/con statements from representatives of opposing positions; and bibliographies of key sources.
Issues & Controversies This link opens in a new window
More than 900 timely, in-depth articles on current issues. Features include pro/con statements, timelines, news updates, editorial cartoons, statistics, and more.