What is your lens? | SCU Fact Checking Guide

Is it supported?

Consider whether the text draws on credible sources clearly and honestly.

Essential tips:

1

The sources which the author used should be listed and accessible to you. Make sure this documentation is supplied via links or can be found through a google search.

2

Check that the citations or hyperlinks used in the article are from legitimate sources and related to the subject.

The author’s name should be visible in most credible articles, some will be hyperlinks to a short biography, perhaps including a way to contact him via a social network or email.

3

Each article should form a triangle, that is, you should be able to find at least two pieces of evidence in other sources that support your original article.

4

5

Evaluate if the author of the article is supplying a realistic interpretation of each cited source.

Transparency:

Though the existence of specific features within an article are general indicators that the article is trustworthy, it is important to look beyond the article to ensure that information has not been falsified or manipulated. Firstly, is background information fully available to the public? Transparency is an integral part of trust, and if the article is lacking in information and is suspected of withholding potential sources of bias, it should be a red flag.

Support:

Support is also a significant part of this process, as the existence of similar information on multiple sources makes the information more likely to be factual. If you do a google search of a particular topic and cannot find any other articles making a similar argument, your article may be inaccurate in some way.

Citations:

Peer-reviewing and citations also contribute to the reputability of the source, as further support ensures that corrections and the origin of the article are available. It is important to follow such citations, as they are in some instances intended to mislead or outright deceive the reader. In some situations, scholars have claimed that fake references have been made to their work through Google Scholar. A simple click of the hyperlinks in the reference section of the work can reveal whether or not the sources are legitimate.