The Role of Libraries

Evaluate the source
Do some detective work to investigate a source’s agenda or mission.   

Read beyond
Headlines – especially clickbait – provoke emotions to get clicks, likes, shares and bookmarks.  Assess the whole story or all the information   Clickbait purposely torques or exaggerates information in misleading and ethically questionable headlines to increase online traffic. 

Check out the author
Who is the author?  Is the author even real?  What is their agenda?  Are they selling something?  Consider the source’s credentials. Is the author a credible source?

Supporting evidence
Is the information under scrutiny backed up by other evidence?  Follow the links to determine if other credible sources and evidence support the claims. 

Check the date
Old information or news stories may not be accurate or relevant in the current context. 

Is it a joke?
Satire often uses exaggeration to get a laugh. Check out the site and the author to make sure it’s not a parody site.

Check your bias
Ask yourself if your beliefs or emotional state might influence your feelings about the information.  

Ask an expert
Librarians and fact-checking sites can often help you determine fact over fiction.