Simply put, "Fake News" refers to news stories that are false, where content, sources, quotes, and other information is made up. But Fake News is part of the much larger issue of mis- and disinformation: the term has become politicized and is often used to discredit an opposing viewpoint, whether or not content is actually falsified.
Click the images below to learn more about mis- and disinformation, and how to spot fake news.
Who do you trust for information? Why do you trust that person or outlet? What other voices may be out there? This section will examine these questions and more.
Click on the headings above to access content.
What is credibility? cred·i·bil·i·ty | noun: Believability or trustworthiness; reliability.
Who do we trust? Why?
Read about current populism in relation to politics; also consider bias (read more on the next tab). Critical thinking skills are extremely important, especially when it comes to credibility.
Some methodologies for examining credibility:
| 5Ws + How | SIFT |
|---|---|
| Who is the author? Research the author(s): do they have an advanced degree (Master's or PhD) in their field? Have they published before? What are their academic or professional affiliations? What is their perspective on the information? What is their reputation? Who is the intended audience? | Stop: Check your bearings. Do you know the source and its reputation? Focus on the purpose of your research. |
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What type of document is the source? Look back to week 2 for a refresher. Is the source an article (popular vs. scholarly), book, editorial, review, website, blog, etc? |
Investigate the source: Where is the information from? What is its significance and trustworthiness? |
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When was the material published? Is the information the most up-to-date on a recent topic? When did the events discussed take place? What was the state of the world when the information was published? Could it explain why the author wrote the content in the way that they did? |
Find better coverage: Seek out the most reputable, trustworthy, and credible sources on the topic, or find a range of sources for comparison. |
| Where was the information published? What type of resource is the publication? Has it won awards? Who is the publisher? What is their specialization and/or reputation? Are you able to find contact information for the author or publisher? | Trace to the original: Trace claims, quotes, and media back to their original sources, to check contextualization and accuracy. |
| Why does the source exist? Is the information meant to inform readers on a subject? To persuade them to change their minds or behaviors? For entertainment? To sell something or raise funds? As criticism or satire? Or for another reason? | |
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How was the information gathered? How is it presented? How is the information organized or subdivided? Are there references? Does the document contain an abstract, advertisements, or bold graphic design? If there are illustrations, are they informative such as graphs, charts, maps, tables, photographs, or are they not meant to convey specific data? |
Caulfield, M. (2019, June 19). SIFT (The Four Moves). Hapgood. https://hapgood.us/2019/06/19/sift-the-four-moves/
Radom, R. (2017, January 04). Evaluating Information Sources Using the 5 Ws. OER Commons. Retrieved October 30, 2023, from https://oercommons.org/authoring/19364-evaluating-information-sources-using-the-5-ws
Bias is a prejudice; an inclination or preference, especially one that interferes with impartial judgment.
Confirmation Bias refers to people's tendency to gather and favor information that conforms to their existing expectations, beliefs, or hypotheses, often dismissing or failing to seek out evidence that disagrees; people's interpretation of information so that it confirms to their biases. (Also see APA).
Implicit Bias (also known as Unconscious Bias) "is a form of bias that occurs automatically and unintentionally, that nevertheless affects judgments, decisions, and behaviors" (NIH.gov).
Does bias matter in the information landscape? Whose voices are heard or silenced?
Research has shown implicit bias has serious real world consequences. Read more here (scroll down to read about Real World Consequences).
Media bias charts
Click on the images below to find the most up-to-date versions of these charts. Each chart compares dozens of media outlets based on the relative political bias of the sources.
