INQ 110 - You're Not As Right As You Think You Are: Evaluating News Sources

By ad fontes media.  For the most recent printable and/or interactive version go to: https://adfontesmedia.com/interactive-media-bias-chart/ .

• Where do I start?
• How do I find books?
• How do I find articles?
• What are scholarly sources?
• Where do I look for statistics?
• What is credible?
• What do I do with a DOI?
• How do I cite?
• Where do I find paper topics?

These sites can help you evaluate political discourse

Media Bias Fact Check-  Check bias of news organizations.

Project Vote Smart - Check voting records, background, and public statements of candidates.

Fact Check.Org - Check the accuracy of statements, including advertisements, from politicians, pundits and special interest groups. Sponsored by the Annenberg Center,

Sunlight Foundation -  Dedicated to making government as transparent and accountable as possible. Info on campaign finance and lobbyist influence.

Questions to Ask

When you are evaluating a news source, try asking some of the following questions.

• Who is the author?
• Who published the article?
• What's the date?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Can you detect any political slant or bias?
• Why was the article written?
• What sources does your news source cite?
• Who or what is funding the news source?

Watchdog Groups

The following are some press watchdog organizations that examine news sources for bias, inaccuracy, self-censorship, etc.

Please note that some of these organizations have their own political bias!! Assess their claims critically, and do your research on the organization. Look at the "about us" link to find out who is funding it, who's on the board of trustees, etc.

• Accuracy in Media

• Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting

• MediaChannel.org

• Media Matters for America

• Media Monitors Network

• Media Research Center

• Project Censored

Nonpartisan  Organizations

These organizations conduct unbiased research into new sources, the news industry, and consumers of news.

• The Pew Research Center for the People and the Press

• HKS Misinformation Review

  Peer-reviewed, scholarly publication from Harvard Kennedy School. Content is produced and “fast-reviewed” by misinformation scientists and scholars, released under open access licensing, and geared towards emphasizing real-world implications.