Fake News, Fact-checking, and Bias

This guide is intended to serve you as a "toolkit" to help you evaluate fact from fiction, journalism from agenda
Notice:

As a community college library, we are NOT a fact-checking service. Through this guide, TCC librarians provide instruction, resources, and tips for our students, and for others to practice their own skills in fact-checking, evaluating sources, and detecting media bias.

Checking Facts, Fake News & Bias

Fact Checking Resources

Linked below are websites you can use the check facts and media bias.


Checking Fake News

Don't get caught using a fake news source! Doublecheck your sources against these lists of fake and/or otherwise unreliable "news" sources:


Checking Media Bias

Why Fact Check?

"It's more important than ever to be critical online."

Watch this short video (1 min, 33 sec) to compare real-life experiences with and without fact-checking. Video developed by Swedish fact checker Viralgranskaren and IIS (The Internet Foundation In Sweden).


Source: "Fact checking online is more important than ever," uploaded by MetroSverige, 2016, Standard YouTube License.

Tips for How to Recognize a Fake News Story 

In a Huffington Post story from November 2016, the author lists nine things to look for to help determine if a news story is real or fake:

How to Recognize a Fake News Story"1. Read Past The Headline 2. Check What News Outlet Published It  3. Check The Publish Date And Time 4. Who Is The Author? 5. Look At What Links And Sources Are Used 6. Look Out For Questionable Quotes And Photos 7. Beware Confirmation Bias From Washington to the campaign trail, get the test politics news. 8. Search If Other News Outlets Are Reporting It 9. Think Before You Share

Image source:  "How To Recognize A Fake News Story" by Nick Robins-Early, Huffington Post, Nov. 22, 2016.

The TCC Library's Fact-Checking Quick Guide

  (click on image to enlarge)

Featured Audio

Untangling Disinformation 

Audio below is part of a series from National Public Radio, March 2021

Featured Crash Course Videos

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