English 102: News Literacy

F - Fact and Source:

• Fact-checking: Search for fact-checking reports on the news story or source; check to make sure the story appears in multiple sources.
• External references: Look for references to the site from other sources to gauge credibility.
• Authority: Identify the domain's administrator or author and their expertise. 

A - Accuracy:

• Verification: Cross-reference information with other reputable sources. 
• Evidence: Look for evidence supporting the claims made in the news story. 
• Context: Consider the context in which the information is presented. 

I - Identify Bias:

• Language: Watch for biased language or loaded terms.
• Perspective: Identify the author's or source's point of view.
• Motivation: Consider the source's purpose (e.g., to sell, inform, persuade). 

R - Relevance:

• Timeliness: Is the information timely and relevant to the current event? 
• Objectivity: Is the information presented objectively and without undue influence? 
• Completeness: Does the news story offer a complete and balanced perspective? 

In essence, FAIR helps individuals to critically evaluate news sources and information, leading to a more informed and engaged citizenry. 

Reliable Sources Assignment

Who Tells the "Truth" More Truthfully-and Why?

FOCUS: Online Searching, Comparing Sources, Bias in Reporting.

For this essay, you will concentrating on online searching to see how various news sites cover the same news event. For the purpose of this essay, we're going to consider some news sites "bias-neutral," as compared to other sites who tend to lean toward a more progressive or conservative agenda. To start on this essay, keep your eyes and ears open for a current and POPULAR news event -- one that's being covered by various media like news sites, social media, TV, print, etc.-- as popular stories will be widely reported and easier to find. The news event you choose must not be older than the date this essay was assigned.

STEP ONE - Now search for that news event described above on one of these "bias-neutral" websites ONLY: CNN.com, ABCNews.com, or BBCNews.com. Choose one (1) one article from ANY ONE of these sites. Try to go broad in picking your news event, as you'll have a better chance of finding more coverage. DON'T choose articles from the Opinion or Editorial sections as these articles, by their very nature, are biased.

STEP TWO: Search for another news article covering the exact same news event on one of these sites ONLY: FOXNews.com, MSNBC.com, breitbart.com, Slate.com, or nytimes.com. Again, you only need one news article, but it'll need to cover the same news event as you're covering in Step One. The same rule for Opinion pages above applies.

STEP THREE: Read both articles and compare and contrast, analyzing who covers the SAME news event more fully and with the least amount of bias. Keep an eye out for any instances of so-called "fake news," and if any viewpoint skews from one extreme to the other.

KEEP IN MIND - You don't have to agree with what the writers are saying, as you're not analyzing the issue--you're comparing the way the two news articles' REPORT the same news event. And it needs to be the exact same news event, as you're going to determine which news article covers the story more fully and with the least amount of bias. The outcome of that determination will become your THESIS. Remember, the object of bias is to persuade, so look for subtle hints in each of the news articles.

REGARDING FAIR - In addition to your two news articles, FAIR will help you determine bias -- subtle techniques the reporters (authors) use to sway opinion when they write their stories. There is a search in FAIR you can use to look for the exact news story, but you don't need to find your news story. Use the sites's criteria and YOUR own critical thinking to determine bias and accuracy. FAIR's criteria should only back up, add to, or contrast your analysis. Use the CRAAP test as tool (NOT a source) for determining whether the news articles follow what they consider a reliable source.