HOW TO FACT-CHECK LIKE A PRO

 

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1. Be Skeptical: “verify before you share.” Assume you’re wrong – then seek corroborating evidence.

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2. Create a habit of fact-checking: Make fact-checking part of your daily routine – no story is complete without it. Don’t rush. Take the time to verify.

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3. Find out the essentials: Who, what, where, when, why – and how.

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4. The smell test: Does something smell weird? Follow your gut – your intuition – and check it out.

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5. Go to the primary source: It’s not enough to say you found someone who reported a fact. Go to the primary, original source of the information. Primary sources are always better than secondary sources. If you don’t know where to go, ask an expert.

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6. Leave your bias at home: Are you bringing your bias to work? Make sure to be impartial when you fact check and let the truth lead you in the right direction.

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7. Be transparent with your audience: Tell the viewers, listeners, and readers exactly where you got the information. Show the documents you obtained. Be honest if you made a mistake and then issue a correction promptly. Show your work and efforts to get to the truth, because that builds trust with the audience.

 

Sources: Mark Albert; Barbara Gray, Associate Professor and Chief Librarian, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism; LexisNexis; Duke Reporters’ Lab