Library Guides: Public Administration Subject Guide: So where is the good news?

The Seven Standards of Quality Journalism

The News Literacy Project identifies key characteristics of quality journalism. Learn what each entails at the link below.

Multiple Credible Sources
Avoidance of Bias
Documentation
Fairness
Verification
Balance
Context

Seven Standards of Quality Journalism
An infographic from the News Literacy Project and Checkology

Fact Checking

The websites linked below fact-check information that appears in news articles and websites.

Fact Check
Nonpartisan website that provides fact checking on political leaders and stories.
PolitiFact
Nonpartisan website that fact checks claims and quotes made by politicians. Includes the 'Truth-O-Meter' which rates the accuracy of statements made by politicians and public figures.
Poynter
The Poynter Institute provides a searchable fact-checking tool.
AP Fact Check
Find fact-checking and false news stories identified by the Associated Press.
Washington Post Fact Checker
This trusted news source offers in-depth analyses of claims made by politicians and news sources.
Snopes
Contains reports debunking news stories with their references. An independent publication owned by Snopes Media Group.

Starting with a known source is a good way to find quality information.

This might be a trusted news organization's website or a library database.

Accessing Trusted News Sources

Many trusted news sources are behind paywalls. You can access that content through library databases.

Learn how to find trusted news in library databases.

A Few Trusted News Sources on the Web

Associated Press
The Associated Press is an independent global news organization dedicated to factual reporting. Founded in 1846, AP today remains the most trusted source of fast, accurate, unbiased news.
BBC News
BBC News is an operational business division of the British Broadcasting Corporation responsible for the gathering and broadcasting of news and current affairs in the UK and around the world.
Reuters
Reuters, the news and media division of Thomson Reuters, is the world’s largest multimedia news provider, reaching billions of people worldwide every day. Reuters provides business, financial, national and international news to professionals via desktop terminals, the world's media organizations, industry events and directly to consumers.

Regardless of how you find a resource, it's a good idea to take a closer look before using it as a source.

The CRAAP test below is a great tool to help you evaluate a source. Trusted sources have higher authority. You can also employ lateral reading skills and look at fact-checking sources.

Evaluate Your Source with the CRAAP Test

The CRAAP test guides us through some questions to ask about a source to determine its quality.

Currency

- When was this published? Has it been updated?
- Is the information still accurate now or is it out-of-date or incomplete?

Relevance

- Will this source help you understand your topic or complete your assignment?
- Does this source meet your assignment's criteria?

Authority

- Who published this? Is this a source others trust?
- Who wrote this? What are their credentials?

Accuracy

- Is there evidence for claims made–maybe citations?
- Can you verify the information in other places?
- Do we know or believe this information was reviewed before publication--whether by fact-checkers or through a peer-review process?

Purpose

- Is this source trying to sell something? Is it intended to entertain?
- Are these opinions, based on one perspective, or facts?
- Does this source seem biased?

Tip: You can answer these questions using information from the source and the rest of the web. Don't recognize a publication or website? Google it to see what others are saying!

Lateral Reading

Learn more about a source to determine its credibility. What is the website or organization? Do others trust it?

Open a new tab to search for information about the website from others.
Look for information on the website itself about who they are. Keep an eye out for mission, funding, and potential biases.
Open a new tab and search for the claims in your source. See if other reliable sources are reporting the same thing or go to the origin of the claim.