Journalism isn’t just relaying information, it’s about rigorous fact-checking. A vital editorial step is scrutinising every detail to ensure accuracy.
The job of a journalist is not just to repeat what we are told. We must test every claim to ensure it is true and then explain the background so our audience can understand the complete story.
This guide is based on the article Fact-checking and adding context, which we suggest you read before using the checklist below.
- [ ] Analyse the credibility of your source: Identify who the source is and why they are sharing the information. Check if they have a motive or an agenda that you should be aware of. See: Developing and handling news sources.
- [ ] Research the history of the event: Check your own news archive or the web to see if there is a record of such an event happening before. Ask if there could be a simple explanation for the claim.
- [ ] Seek out independent evidence: Never rely on a single person. Find a second, independent, and trusted source to confirm that the information is accurate.
- [ ] Apply lateral reading techniques: When you find information online, do not just read the page itself. Open new tabs to search for what other reputable sites say about that source or claim.
- [ ] Explain the social and economic context: Help your audience understand the ‘why’ by including data, such as unemployment rates or poverty levels, that might have contributed to the story.
- [ ] Provide a clear chronology of events: Set out the background and the order in which things happened. This helps the audience follow the plot of the story more easily.
- [ ] Acknowledge different interpretations: If a story is complex, present the different arguments fairly. Avoid presenting a single, definitive truth if the facts are still being contested.
- [ ] Verify the date of all information: Always check when a study or report was published. Outdated information can lead to the wrong conclusion, especially in a fast-moving news environment.
- [ ] Investigate the ‘how’ as well as the ‘why’: Look for the mechanisms or processes involved in an event. This can help reveal larger issues that might prevent similar problems in the future.
- [ ] Question your own assumptions: Do not jump to conclusions based on what you see. Take the time to establish the facts so you do not mistake a film set for a real emergency.
Accuracy is the hallmark of a professional journalist, and fact-checking is central to ensuring your work is accurate and trustworthy.
A news story without context can never be completely understood. A news source that is not verified can never be completely trusted. A claim, left unchecked, might not necessarily be a fact. And a news story without fact-checking and context could add more to the cacophony of confusion than to the enhancement of understanding.