Media Bias
How to Spot Fake News (Video)
Terms Defined
- Misinformation is false (aka Fake) information that is spread, regardless of intent to mislead. Misinformation doesn’t care about intent; it is a term for any kind of wrong or false information. For more detail link to the cited source.
- Disinformation refers to false information that is intended to deliberately mislead, i.e biased information; manipulated narrative or facts; propaganda. For more detail link to the cited source.
Evaluating Sources Criteria (Presnell Textbook, p. H39)
- Author/Authority: Who's the author? What is the author's affiliation? What are the credentials of the author? Is the author from a reputable organization? What is the purpose of the organization?
- Audience and purpose: Who is the information intended for? What's the purpose of it?
- Content, accuracy and completeness: Does the information appear accurate and complete? Compare it to other sources. Check for inaccuracies.
- Citations and documentation: Authors should cite their sources. Providing proof for your assertions is important; especially in an academic setting. If little or no evidence is given, then that source may be unreliable.
- Currency: Check to see if the information (& Website) is current and still accurate.
Fact Checking Websites
- SnopesWhen misinformation obscures the truth and readers don’t know what to trust, Snopes’ fact-checking and original investigative reporting lights the way to evidence-based and contextualized analysis. We always link to and document our sources so readers are empowered to do independent research and make up their own minds.
Snopes got its start in 1994, investigating urban legends, hoaxes, and folklore. As demand for reliable fact checks grew, so did Snopes. Now it’s the oldest and largest fact-checking site online, ..." - FactcheckA nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases. Our goal is to apply the best practices of both journalism and scholarship, and to increase public knowledge and understanding.
- AllSidesA media technology and solutions company that strengthens our democratic society with balanced news, media bias ratings, diverse perspectives, and real conversation. We expose people to information and ideas from all sides of the political spectrum so they can better understand the world — and each other.
Contemporary Newspaper Databases (U.S./World News)
- Access World News (NewsBank) This link opens in a new windowWorldwide news sources covering a wide array of topics and issues. Includes access to over 140 Washington state newspapers including the Seattle Times and Spokesman-Review.
- Global Newsstream (ProQuest) -- 1980-current This link opens in a new windowSearch the most recent global news content, as well as archives back into the 1980s. News from the US, Canada, Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and Australia.
- Newspaper Source Plus (EBSCOhost) This link opens in a new windowSelected full-text articles from U.S. newspapers, along with over one million radio and television transcripts.
- U.S. Newsstream (ProQuest) -- 1980-present This link opens in a new windowCurrent and archival access to U.S. news featuring key national and regional sources, from 1980s to present.