FYS 100 -- Conspiracies (Fall 2023): Fact Checking -- Reputable News Sources

Since determining if a newspaper is "reputable" requires critical thinking skills, consider the following description of reputable newspapers, used with the permission of the University of Alabama Libraries. 

Generally, a reputable newspaper is a publication with a strong track record of publishing accurate and verifiable information. There will be some kind of editorial oversight, e.g., fact-checking in a newspaper article. National newspapers like the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, and the Washington Post are just a few examples of reputable newspapers. Some newspapers to avoid are those with obvious political leanings and biases; and small newspapers which might not go through editing/fact-checking. 

Examine the newspaper to see if it explains its editorial policy and how articles are approved for publication. Or Google the title to see if there are any reported "red flags" such as bias or questionable content. To try to determine accuracy, check what other sources are saying about the topic. Are other news media outlets reporting the same set of facts?  Run the topic through a fact-checker to see if it is tagged as false or misleading.

Finally, be on the lookout for items that are labelled Opinion, Analysis or Letter to the Editor.  These might not stick to the facts, and you might want to think twice about using them for your presentation.

If you have any doubt about the article before you use it, check with your professor or a librarian.