Fake News, Disinformation & Misinformation

Fake news is everywhere. Media bias has become common. How do you sift through it all and find out what is true?

Use Library Databases & News Sites

You are more likely to get reliable news from library databases or Pulitzer Prize Winning News Sources. Even news sites and online news magazines are less likely to have fake news, though some are biased. More reliable biased sites let you know what their point of view is.

Use Multiple Sources

One of the best ways to determine accuracy is to use multiple sources. This is what scholars do. This is what faculty train college students to do when they write papers for courses. Scholars and faculty know that the more sources you review, the more likely you are to come to an accurate conclusion.

Review Sources

When you review your multiple sources, ask yourself things like:

1. What does the author know about the subject?
2. Does the author have an agenda?
3. Where did the author get the information?
4. When was the material written?
5. Has the material been reviewed for publication?

If your sources don't have information about the author or it is not clear where the author got the information, it makes it very hard for you to evaluate. Sources that clearly state these things are generally more reliable.

AllSides displays the day’s top news stories from the Left, Center and Right of the political spectrum — side-by-side so you can see the full picture. 

The Pulitzer Prize awards excellence in journalism for U.S. newspapers, magazines or news sites that publishes regularly.