A project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania. They "We monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases." Opens in a new window.
A resource to fact check or confirm stories. Opens in a new window.
Evaluating Sources
You will need to use critical thinking skills to evaluate your sources. This is especially true with online-only sources or non-academic journals. Check the following:
Authorship:
Is the person, group or organization responsible for the site identified?
What type of site have you located? For example, is it a personal page (.net) or blog, a company website (.com), an organization (.org), a government body (.gov), or an educational institution (.edu)?
Accuracy:
Does the author cite reliable sources for his or her facts?
How does the information compare with that in other works written about this topic?
Authority:
What are the author's qualifications for writing on this subject?
Is he or she connected with an organization that has an established reputation?
Currency:
Does the web site include a publication date or "last updated" date?
Is the information provided recent? Or is it from the time period you are researching?
Objectivity:
Is the author affiliated with a particular organization that might have a bias?
Get Help
Contact a Research & Learning Librarian for help with finding resources and citing sources!
