Use the chart below to evaluate a news story. Using the criteria on the left, you can see which characteristics are desirable in a credible news story. Please note that a news article can still be considered credible even if it contains characteristics from the far-right column.
Criteria |
In favor of credibility |
Not in favor of credibility |
Type of Article
|
- The article is a news story.
- The news source follows the Associated Press (AP) Style or other standardized style guide.
- Answers the questions: Who? What? When? Where? Why? and How?
|
- This news article is an editorial or an opinion piece.
- The story is an advertisement, often labeled sponsored content.
|
Title/Domain
|
- The title is descriptive of the content of the article.
- When promoted on social media, the title accurately reflects the content of the linked article.
|
- The title of the story is sensationalized or uses hyperbolic words to create an emotional response.
- The title is clickbait.
- The URL contains words like “wordpress” or “blogger." This indicates the site is a blog.
- The website title ends in “lo.” These sites are often satire.
- The domain contains “.com.co,” which are sometimes fake versions of real websites.
|
Evidence
|
- Acknowledges what information is unknown or unclear; this is called transparency.
- Regularly updates the story as events unfold.
- The evidence presented in the news story is verified.
- The primary evidence used is direct (observer eyewitness accounts; journalist eyewitness account; documents and records; and video, audio, and photographs).
|
- The primary evidence used is indirect (e.g. accounts from spokespersons; experts; computer models; hearsay; and inferences).
- The evidence is not verified or corroborated.
- One-sided or biased evidence is purposefully provided to prove or argue a particlar viewpoint.
- Evidence is presented outside of context.
|
Publishers and Journalists
|
- Editorial boards and parent organizations are listed in an “About Us” section of the website.
- The publishing company and journalists are transparent and acknowledge conflicts of interest. Typically this information can be found in the "Legal" or "Disclaimer" sections of the website.
- Journalists follow a code of ethics.
- The journalists are trained professionals. (It's always a good idea to research the credentials and backgrounds of affiliated writers.)
|
- The publisher is a content mill.
- There is no information about the publisher or the writer(s) on the website where the article is posted.
- The authors listed are known for fictitious or satirical websites.
|
Sources
|
- The sources are evaluated against IMVAIN:
- Independent: the sources are independent and neutral
- Multiple: multiple sources are cited in the story.
- Verified: the sources provide evidence that support the story as opposed to assertions, beliefs, or opinions.
- Authoritative/Informed: the source either has the credentials or is close to the event/story and can provide accurate information (the innermost circle).
- Named: the source and their affiliations are explicitly provided in the story.
- The source's evidence is presented in context.
- The source's quotes, evidence, and observations are presented accurately and objectively.
- The source is given proper attribution in the story.
- You confirm quotes, statistics, and information presented elsewhere.
|
- Unreliable sources are:
- Self-interested or biased
- Singular, in that there is only one source cited in the story
- Offer assertions, beliefs, or opinions without evidence
- Uninformed sources may be reporting hearsay and are not "close" to the event/story (the outermost circle)
- Unnamed
|
Aesthetics
|
- The publisher website (interface) is well designed, edited, and professional in appearance.
- The website and article are grammatically correct and follow proper etiquette.
|
- The website is badly designed.
- The design is cluttered with text and heavy-handed photoshopping or born-digital images.
- The title/headline are in all caps.
|
Content modified from Melissa Zimdars, "False, Misleading, Clickbait-y, and Satirical 'News' Sources" licensed under a Creative Commons 4.0 International License and University of Texas Libraries, Finding News and News Evaluation: Evaluating News Sources, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 2.0 Generic License.