Modules

Module: Fact-Checking

This free educational module provides an outline for a six-week course teaching students about fact-checking in a world of information disorder.

It’s designed to be adapted by college and university lecturers to address local teaching requirements.

The module equips journalism students with the critical skills necessary to navigate the complex information landscape, focusing on fact-checking, identifying misinformation and disinformation, and understanding the ethical implications of reporting in the digital age.

Students will learn to verify sources, analyse data, recognise algorithmic bias, and apply systems thinking to build robust fact-checking processes.

The six-week module provides a structured approach to learning the intricacies of fact-checking and combating information disorder.

Course timetable:

Week 1: Foundations of fact-checking and accuracy
Week 2: Source verification and attribution
Week 3: Identifying and addressing information disorder
Week 4: Navigating algorithmic and AI-driven information
Week 5: Ethical considerations and bias in journalism
Week 6: Building robust fact-checking systems

Module outline:

Week 1: Foundations of fact-checking and accuracy
- Topics:
  - Introduction to information disorder: defining misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation.
  - The importance of accuracy and clarity in journalism.
  - Core fact-checking principles and methodologies.
- Resources:
  - Accuracy in journalism:
    - This resource highlights the fundamental importance of accuracy in journalism and the consequences of inaccuracy. It is crucial for setting the base for the course, as it explains the core value of truthful reporting.
  - Lesson – Accuracy in journalism:
    - This lesson is designed to help journalism students learn how to gather, assemble, and publish information that has been thoroughly checked to ensure it is factual and accurate.
  - Clarity is as important as accuracy:
    - This resource emphasises that clear communication is essential for effective journalism. It explains that accuracy alone is not enough, and that journalists must present information in a way that is unambiguous and easily understood by their audience.
  - Lesson – Clarity in journalism:
    - This lesson is designed to help students understand the importance of clarity in their writing so that they produce news articles that the reader can understand.
  - Fact-checking and adding context:
    - This resource introduces the basic principles of fact-checking and the importance of providing context to information. It sets the stage for the practical skills students will develop throughout the module.
  - Lesson – Fact-checking and adding context:
    - - This lesson provides practical examples to help reinforce the principles of fact-checking and adding context.
  - Practical exercises: basic fact-checking techniques, identifying common errors.
Week 2: Source verification and attribution
- Topics:
  - Evaluating source credibility and reliability.
  - Proper referencing, attribution, and avoiding plagiarism.
  - Working with numerical data and statistics.
- Resources:
  - Referencing, attribution and plagiarism:
    - This resource outlines the importance of proper attribution and the ethical implications of plagiarism. It explains how to correctly reference sources and avoid plagiarism.
  - Lesson – Avoiding plagiarism:
    - This lesson provides practical guidance and examples about how to avoid plagiarism in journalistic work.
  - News sources, numbers and the ‘so what factor’:
    - This resource teaches students how to critically evaluate news sources and interpret numerical data. It emphasises the importance of understanding the “so what” factor, or the significance of the information being presented.
  - Practical exercises: source evaluation, data analysis, attribution exercises.
Week 3: Identifying and addressing information disorder
- Topics:
  - Understanding the forms of information disorder: misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation.
  - Identifying fake news and deceptive content.
  - Recognising false equivalence and false balance.
- Resources:
  - Information disorder: How to recognise the forms:
    - This resource provides a comprehensive overview of the different forms of information disorder. It helps students understand the nuances of misinformation, disinformation, and malinformation.
  - Information disorder: The essential glossary:
    - This resource provides definitions of key terms related to information disorder.
  - Information disorder: Mapping the landscape:
    - This resource gives a visual representation of how information disorder spreads.
  - Fake news and trust chains:
    - This resource explores the concept of trust chains and how they can be used by journalists to combat the spread of fake news. It gives insight into how fake news spreads.
  - Lesson – Fake news and trust chains:
    - This lesson reinforces the theory of trust chains with practical examples.
  - How to identify and deal with fake news:
    - This resource provides practical strategies for identifying and dealing with fake news.
  - Dealing with disinformation and misinformation:
    - This resource explores the specific challenges of dealing with disinformation and misinformation.
  - False equivalence and false balance:
    - This resource explains the concepts of false equivalence and false balance and how they can mislead audiences. It helps students understand how to avoid these pitfalls in their reporting.
  - Lesson – False equivalence and false balance:
    - This lesson gives practical examples of false equivalence and false balance.
  - Practical exercises: fake news detection, identifying manipulative techniques.
Week 4: Navigating algorithmic and AI-driven information
- Topic:
  - Understanding algorithmic bias and its impact on news.
  - Detecting AI-generated images and content.
  - Exploring the role of AI in journalism.
- Resources:
  - Dealing with algorithmic bias in news:
    - This resource examines the issue of algorithmic bias and its impact on news reporting. It helps students understand how algorithms can perpetuate biases and how to mitigate these biases.
  - Lesson – Algorithmic bias: This lesson gives practical examples of algorithmic bias.
  - Artificial intelligence assesses its role in journalism:
    - This resource sees how AI views its role in the future of journalism. It also explores the evolving role of artificial intelligence in the media.
  - How to detect AI-generated images:
    - This resource provides techniques for identifying AI-generated images.
  - Practical exercises: analysing algorithmic bias, identifying AI-generated content.
Week 5: Ethical considerations and bias in journalism
- Topics:
  - Editorial ethics, impartiality, and integrity.
  - Respecting privacy and avoiding unconscious bias.
  - Confronting editorial bias in election coverage.
- Resources:
  - Why editorial ethics are important:
    - This resource explains the importance of editorial ethics in maintaining journalistic integrity.
  - Lesson – Editorial ethics:
    - This lesson is designed to help journalists understand the need to apply editorial ethics to their newsgathering and news production.
  - Is your journalism ethical? Take the test:
    - This resource provides an interactive test to assess ethical awareness.
  - Lesson – Unconscious bias and its impact on journalism:
    - This lesson is is designed to help students recognise their own unconscious bias and find ways to avoid bias in their journalism.
  - Impartiality in journalism:
    - This resource discusses the principle of impartiality in journalism and what it means to be impartial in newsgathering and news production as well as in tone and language.
  - Lesson – Impartiality in journalism:
    - This lesson reinforces the theory of impartiality with practical examples.
  - Respecting privacy as a journalist:
    - This resource outlines the ethical considerations related to respecting privacy in journalistic reporting.
  - Integrity and journalism:
    - This resource discusses what integrity in terms of journalistic behaviour, news focus and production.
  - Lesson – Integrity in journalism:
    - This lesson reinforces the theory of integrity with practical examples.
  - Confronting editorial bias in election coverage:
    - This resource explores the challenges of editorial bias in election coverage and how that can play into the spread of fake news and disinformation.
  - Practical exercises: ethical decision-making scenarios, bias identification.
Week 6: Building robust fact-checking systems
- Topic:
  - Creating a strong fact-checking system within news organisations.
  - Systems thinking for journalists.
- Resources:
  - Creating a strong fact-checking system:
    - This resource looks at a case-study where a methodological approach to fact-checking using digital tools, techniques, and resources used by fact-checkers in Nepal.
  - Systems thinking for journalists:
    - This resource introduces the concept of using systems thinking as part of the fact-checking process. Covering news is not just about reporting on unexpected and pre-planned events, it’s also about investigating beyond what is happening to find out why it has happened. And that is where ‘systems thinking’ comes in.
    - Beyond basic fact-checking:
      - This resource looks a more complex, evidence-based processes which go beyond simple verification, demanding critical thinking, contextual analysis, and ethical awareness.
    - Practical exercises: developing fact-checking protocols, election coverage simulations.

Fact-Checking Tools:

Snopes: https://www.snopes.com/ – Snopes is a long-standing website that fact-checks urban legends, rumours, and news stories, providing detailed analyses and source verification.
PolitiFact: https://www.politifact.com/ – PolitiFact specialises in fact-checking claims made by politicians and public figures, rating the accuracy of their statements on a “Truth-O-Meter.”
FactCheck.org: https://www.factcheck.org/ – FactCheck.org is a nonpartisan fact-checking website that focuses on U.S. political issues, providing in-depth analyses of political claims.
Google Reverse Image Search: https://images.google.com/ – Google Reverse Image Search allows users to upload an image and find where else it appears online, helping to verify its origin and context.
TinEye Reverse Image Search: https://tineye.com/ – TinEye Reverse Image Search is another powerful tool that helps trace the origins of images by finding other instances of them on the web.
CrowdTangle: https://www.crowdtangle.com/ – CrowdTangle is a social listening tool that tracks how content spreads across social media platforms, providing insights into its reach and engagement.

Reputable Fact-Checking Organisations:

International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN): https://ifcn.org/ – A global network of fact-checking organisations.
Associated Press (AP) Fact Check: https://apnews.com/ap-fact-check – Fact checks current news.
Reuters Fact Check: https://www.reuters.com/fact-check/ – Fact checks current news.

Summary

This six-week module equips journalism students with essential skills to combat misinformation and disinformation. It covers core fact-checking principles, source verification, identifying information disorder, understanding algorithmic and AI biases, ethical considerations, and building robust fact-checking systems. Students learn to critically evaluate information, use fact-checking tools, and apply systems thinking to maintain journalistic integrity. The module emphasises the importance of accuracy, clarity, and ethical reporting in the digital age, preparing students to be reliable and responsible journalists.