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ENG 112: College Composition II - Fake News & Media Bias (Chandler - Alexandria)

Direct comments to aanderson@nvcc.edu

3 Ways to Check a Claim

Here are 3 things to do to check a claim (for more details see the rest of the sections on this page):

  1. Check with Fact-Checkers - others may have already investigated this claim.
  2. Go to the Source - who published the claim?
  3. What Do Others Say about the Source?

Based on "Four Moves" from Michael A. Caulfield's Web Literacy for Student Fact Checkers.

Check with Fact-Checkers

Someone else may have already fact-checked the claim.  Here are links to a few fact-checking sites to consult:

Go to the Source

Who is making the claim?

Go to their website to learn more about them:

  • Check the "About Us" section to look for information such as:
    • their mission
    • where they get their funding
    • who's on their Board of Directors/Advisory Board
    • who are their authors/editors and what are their backgrounds and credentials?
  • What's the website like?  What other kinds of stories are on that site?

Google Search Tip: Put quotation marks around the name of the organization you're searching for to ensure it's searched as a phrase (e.g., "American Heart Association").  Some unreliable news sources name themselves in a way that is very similar to reputable sources, so the quotation marks will help ensure you find results with the exact name of the organization you want.

What Do Others Say about the Source?

Search for articles from reputable news sources that may have reported on the source of the claim:

  • Does the article quote from or identify the source as an authority in that area?
  • Or, does the article identify or discuss the source as an unreliable or hoax source?

Reputable, credible news sources include the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, and the New York Times. 
As  NOVA students, you get free access to those sources, and thousands of additional credible sources, through the online collections listed below.

Search for the name of the organization and/or person who originally published the claim.

Search Tip:  Put quotation marks around the name of the organization you're searching for to ensure it's searched as a phrase (e.g., "American Heart Association").