Research Skills

Steps to spotting fake news

 1  Consider the source

Click away from the story to investigate the site, its mission and its contact info.

• Check the "About us" and contact information - some fake news sites state the they publish fictional stories or even satire.
• Are there any spelling mistakes, or strange domain extensions? eg. www.realnews.ausydney
• Google the name of the site - you may find reports about its authenticity.
• Avoid relying on news from social media, use reputable news sources.

 2  Read beyond

Headlines can be outrageous in an effort to get clicks.

• Check the story on other news sites to get a more accurate account of the full story.
• Check who else is talking about the same story.
• Have the facts been verified?
• Good quality reporting will include context, and wont exclude, misrepresent or oversimplify details.

 3  Check the author

Do a quick search on the author.

• Are they real?
• Are they credible?
• Where else do they publish?
• LinkedIn is a good source for checking the credentials of authors.

 4  Check supporting sources and links to further information

• Click on links to additional information and look for anything that doesn't add up.
• Determine if the information given actually supports the story.
• A good quality article will clearly identify it's sources, and if anonymous sources are used, an explanation will be be given.

 5  Check the date

• Is there a date stamp?
• Is it current? 
• Does it accurately match the content of the story?

 6  Check your biases

Consider if your own beliefs could be affecting your judgement.

• Read other sources reporting the same news and compare perspectives, or how the story is told.

 7  Ask the experts

Ask a librarian, or consult a fact-checking site.