January 3, 2017
Tools and technologies play a key role in verification. But traditional journalistic approaches remain essential. Be skeptical of everything that crosses your path, guard against assumptions and work with colleagues to bring fresh eyes to what you find.
Here are some verification practices to apply:
- Develop human sources
- Be skeptical when something sounds too good to be true
- Consult credible sources
- Be familiar with search and research methods
- Communicate and work with other professionals
- Corroborate key facts
- Do the math; double-check all numbers and make sure they add up
- Call or email sources to check information before you publish
- Check names (Does the person have a verifiable personal history? Is the name real or is it drawn from history or literature?)
Taken from Getting It Right: Accuracy and Verification in the Digital Age, a self-directed course by Craig Silverman at Poynter NewsU.
Have you missed a Coffee Break Course? Here’s our complete lineup. Or follow along on Twitter at #coffeebreakcourse.
Support high-integrity, independent journalism that serves democracy. Make a gift to Poynter today. The Poynter Institute is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, and your gift helps us make good journalism better.
DonateTags: Coffee Break Course, Verification
Vicki Krueger has worked with The Poynter Institute for more than 20 years in roles from editor to director of interactive learning and her current…
More News
How to avoid sanewashing Trump (and other politicians)
Sanewashing is the act of packaging radical and outrageous statements in a way that makes them seem normal. Here’s how reporters can eschew it.
September 12, 2024
Poynter: When it comes to using AI in journalism, put audience and ethics first
New report distills work from Poynter summit that brought together top journalists, product leaders and tech experts
September 12, 2024
Opinion | Will there be another presidential debate?
Harris’s team says she’d do another. Trump’s team is trying to spin that as proof that she lost the first one. Trump himself is sending mixed signals.
September 12, 2024
The American Journalism Project takes on its biggest initiative yet — covering underserved LA communities.
The project will initially focus on growing and knitting together existing nonprofits, with startups coming in the future
September 11, 2024
Opinion | Looking back at Tuesday night’s presidential debate, including ABC News’ solid performance
The moderators shined in doing something the first 2024 debate moderators didn’t do: a little fact-checking in real time
September 11, 2024