Evaluating a Source

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 Five ways to make sure you don’t get duped by a fake website.

Fake News Sources

CRAAP Test

CARS  and the 5 W's are mnemonics to help evaluate research sources. 

RADCAB

This six step evaluation will help you to determine whether or not the information you have is reliable and supports your research question. 
  • AllSides. While not a fact-checking site, AllSides curates stories from right, center and left-leaning media so that readers can easily compare how bias influences reporting.
  • Fact Check. This nonpartisan, nonprofit monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by U.S. political players, including politicians, TV ads, debates, interviews and news releases.
  • Media Matters. This nonprofit and self-described liberal-leaning research center monitors and corrects conservative misinformation in the media.
  • NewsBusters. A project of the conservative Media Research Center, NewsBusters is focused on “documenting, exposing and neutralizing liberal media bias.”
  • Open Secrets. Run by the Center for Responsive Politics tracks how much and where candidates get their money.
  • Politifact. This Pulitzer Prize winning website rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials. Features the Truth-O-Meter that rates statements as “True,” “Mostly True,” “Half True,” “False,” and “Pants on Fire.”
  • ProPublica. Has won several Pulitzer Prizes. ProPublica produces investigative journalism in the public interest.
  • Snopes.  Often the first to set facts straight on wild fake news claims.
  • The Sunlight Foundation. Uses public policy data-based journalism to make politics more transparent/accountable.
  • Washington Post Fact Checker. Although WP has a left-center bias, its checks are excellent and sourced. Bias because they fact check conservative claims more than liberal ones.
  • Who Is Find out who is behind a particular domain or IP address. Great for verifying who is responsible for a website.
  • Google Reverse Image Search An excellent tool for verifying the origins of a photo.
  • B.S. Detector  A browser extension that alerts users to unreliable news sources.