AMST/HIST 351 B/H: The Art of Public Explanation

Determining credible sources is crucial to understanding information and news. Figuring out the bias of the author of an article can be very difficult. When reading articles and putting together research for your assignment, be aware that most periodicals will be biased. Magazines, newspapers, and journals may identify with a specific political or ideological point-of-view, and this will determine what (and how) information is presented. One of your responsibilities as a student and academic researcher is to understand the viewpoint of a particular publication and its content. Below are questions to ask yourself when using news sources for your research:

Who is the author of the information? 
This refers to both individual authors and sources. Are they credible?  What qualifications do they offer?

Is the publication date appropriate for your needs?
Is the information outdated?  Or, is it too recent to be considered credible?

Is the information relevant?
Does it meet your needs?

What is the purpose of the material?
Is the material baised? 

For what type of audience was the information created?
Is it for a general audience or a more particular subset of the population?

• AllSides

  See news and issues from multiple perspectives, left, right and center, on a scale: LLCRR
• Center for Media and Public Affairs (CMPA)

  CMPA is a nonpartisan research and educational organization which
  conducts scientific studies of the news and entertainment media.
• Columbia Journalism Review (CJR) Who Owns What

  Select a media company from the drop down list to see what networks, cable channels, etc. companies own.
• Emergent

  A real-time rumor tracker.
• FactCheck

  A Project of The Annenberg Public Policy Center.
• Fact Checker - Washington Post

  The Truth Behind The Rhetoric by Glenn Kessler
• Hoax Slayer

  Debunking hoaxes and exposing scams since 2003.
• HONCode

  Code of conduct of the Health On the Net Foundation and is applied for voluntary health/medical websites.
• Media Bias/Fact Check

  Follows a strict methodology for determining the biases of sources, from Left to Right and in between.
• NPR's On the Media

  NPR's weekly radio show and podcast "On the Media" offers media analysis.
• Pew Research Center Journalism Project

  Publishes research on who is reporting the news and what new players are emerging; what is being reported on and the gaps in coverage that exist; how news is consumed and how the economic models for news are changing. Additionally, each year the project produces "The State of the News Media" report which examines key questions facing the industry.
• Politifact

  Rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics.
• Snopes

  Attempts to give accurate information about rumors and urban legends on a variety of topics.
• SourceWatch

  The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) publishes SourceWatch, this collaborative, specialized encyclopedia of the people, organizations, and issues shaping the public agenda. Choose a media organization, such as the NY Times, to see the people involved, history, flaws, and links to other resources.