ASSESS Results - How to do Research - Indianapolis - Ivy Tech Libraries at Ivy Tech Community College

Media Bias Chart

All Sides - Media Bias Chart
This chart maps major media outlets and publications against the political spectrum, which "makes bias transparent so you can get the full picture, [and] avoid manipulation and misinformation."

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Evaluating the Credibility of a Source: 5Ws

When we are confronted with new information, we need to apply critical thinking to judge whether or not that information is reliable or credible.

If you are walking down the street and a stranger came up and started talking to you, what would you be thinking? You might think, "Who is this person and why are they talking to me?" Information online, whether it is through news feeds, social media, or search results, is just like a stranger on the street. We don't really know if it is trustworthy until we have done some investigation.

We can start by thinking about the 5 Ws of the information: Who, What, When, Where, and Why?

Who

Look for information about the author or the organization that wrote the information.

Is an author listed?
Is it a person or an organization?
- Are they real?
Is the author a subject expert?
What credentials does the author have?

What

Read more than just the headline to understand what information is being shared.

Does the source provide facts or just opinions?
Is the information written in objective or subjective language?
Can the information be verified by other credible sources?
Does the source tell you where they got their information from?

When

Consider how current the source information is.

Is the information in the article new enough to be relevant to your question?
Has information about the topic changed or advanced since the source was originally published?
If the source is older, is is helpful for providing historical context information?

Where

Consider the platform or publishing medium of the source.

Where was this source published?
Is the publisher considered to be scholarly or popular in nature?
Does the publisher have any known biases?
Who is the intended audience of the source publisher?

Why

Identify why the source was published or circulated.

Was the source published for a particular purpose?
Are they trying to sell you something? Persuade you to believe something or act in a certain way? Entertain you?
Does the source have any hidden or explicit agendas?
Are they trying to convince you of something?

Tools for Fact Checking

Sometimes it can be hard to determine the reliability of information found online just by reviewing the website itself. Journalists, and others interested in assessing information online, make use of organizations and agencies that specialize in fact checking.

A few fact checking sites to consider:

AP Fact Check "combat[s] misinformation by debunking false and misleading claims."
FactCheck.org is a nonpartisan, nonprofit project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. The site can be searched by Issue, Location, People, and Date.
Politifact is a project of the Tampa Bay Times begun in 2007. It evaluates claims made by news sources, politicians, and others and rates the statements on its "Truth-O-Meter" with the most egregious falsehoods getting a "Pants on Fire" status.
Reuters Fact Check is a dedicated fact-checking unit within the Reuters News editorial department. "The principal aim of this unit is to fact-check visual material and claims posted on social media."
Snopes has been investigating urban legends and uncovering hoaxes for over two decades. When you encounter a story in the news that seems outlandish or too strange to be true, check whether Snopes has information about it.