4.6 Investigate the Source: The Most Important Strategy
How to Investigate a Source
The concept introduced on the previous page - to "investigate the source" is the most important, fundamental fact-checking strategy for you to know. Remember, when investigating a source, fact-checkers read “laterally” across many websites, rather than digging deep (reading “vertically”) into the one source they are evaluating. They don’t spend much time on the source itself, but instead they quickly get off the page and see what others have said about the source.
Please watch the following short video [2:44] for a demonstration of this strategy.
Note: Turn on closed captions with the “CC” button or use the text transcript Links to an external site. if you prefer to read.
Example: "Center for Immigration Studies"
If I find myself at the following website, how will I know if it is a reliable source of information on the topic of immigration?
Center for Immigration Studies Links to an external site.
- If I read "vertically" and just look at the website, and check the "About" page, it says they are an "independent, non-partisan, non-profit, research organization."
- But if I leave the website entirely, and read "laterally" by searching "center for immigration studies" on Wikipedia Links to an external site., I learn that in fact, it is an anti-immigrant organization that was founded by a white nationalist!! It was even designated as a hate group.
So this would definitely not be a reliable source to use.
"Online Verification Skills - Video 2: Investigate the Source Links to an external site.." YouTube, uploaded by NewsWise, 29 June 2018.