
Evaluating News Sources
Need help determining facts from alternative facts (aka: fiction)? Let us help.
Be aware of “fake news.” What is fake news? It isn’t news you disagree with—it is content generated by non-news organizations in order to generate an audience for paid advertisements or to spread unverified/untrue information.
Take a look at these examples of fake news sites compiled by CBS.
Also take a look at this Spotting Fake News video from FactCheck.org.
What can you do?
Be skeptical of any news that comes from third-party platforms (such as social media).
Select news sources known for high-quality reporting—search those sources directly instead of settling for web search results or social media news feeds.
Use fact checking sites, such as:
And don’t forget, you can always ask your librarians for help sorting through fact or fiction…after all this is what we’re trained for!