7 Sources in Media – Checking for truth & reliability

Prof. Radha Misra

Content Outline

• Introduction
• Objectives of the module
• Everyone Has an Agenda
• Credible Sources
• Difference Between Fact and Opinion
• Factors that make Source Credible
• Authority o Accuracy o Coverage o Objectivity o Currency

Objectives

• To identify reliable sources of information
• To identify fake information
• To research for correct information

Sources in Media – checking for truth & reliability.

Does your favorite celeb really know what s/he is talking about? Is the politician you trust most really telling the truth? Is the nonfiction book or article by your favorite author really accurate and factual? What do you know about the person who wrote that ‘forward’ you received in your email? Do you even know that person’s name? Here is help in determining the answers to those questions.

As most people have learned, anyone can write anything in a book or on the Internet. Just because something is in print in any form does not make it accurate and factual. Just because you heard it on television or radio, does not make it true. Just because something was stated persuasively, or convincingly, by your favorite politician, actor, singer, author, or best friend, does not make it fact.

It is important to evaluate the sources and information you use for references whether your purpose for using them is for a research paper, a classroom discussion, an exchange of ideas with a colleague or friend, or information you are using to base your vote for a particular candidate on.

Everyone Has an Agenda

There are many reasons why people make the statements they do. Everyone has an agenda, and if you can determine what that agenda is, you will have an advantage in determining why someone says or writes what they do.

Everyone talks about the media being objective, yet there is no such thing as objectivity in the media and never has been. From the beginning of newspapers and magazines and other written words, the writer of those periodicals has had an agenda that they are promoting through their writing. Their agenda is their purpose for writing what they write, in the way they write it, in order to sway their reader’s opinion or position on the subject they are writing about.

There are newspapers, magazines, television and radio networks, and even authors who are considered either conservative or liberal depending on their position on the issue they are writing about or reporting. If you are aware of what is referred to as the slant of the reporter’s position on the subject, or the slant of his/her media outlet’s position on the subject (newspaper, television network, etc.), that can help you in judging whether or not the story or report is factual and accurate.

Knowing where an author is coming from is important in judging what they have to say. Very often reporters state the facts accurately, but then state them in a way that seems positive or negative depending on how they want their readers or listeners to feel about those facts. Sometimes their statements are factual as far as they go — but a few little things (or big things) that would make a difference in how the information is received, are simply left out. What is provided is factual, but what is left out can make a world of difference in what has actually been said, written, or what actually happened. Getting information in context and getting ALL of the information usually makes a huge difference.

Since every reporter and every media outlet of every kind has a slant (either conservative, liberal, or moderate, in favor of or not in favor of), it is a good idea to read or listen to many different stories, or reports, on the same issue/subject to help you determine where the truth lies.

Credible Sources

Some information sources are more credible than others, because they have been in business for a very long time and have established a strong reputation for accuracy and dependable facts.

In general, universities and government agencies have a great deal of credibility. Information presented as facts by these institutions carries a lot of weight. Research and studies done by these entities, or commissioned by them, is usually given more credibility than when done by a private industry because presumably they do not have an interest in the outcome, where private industry does.

Even so, the results of research and studies done should always be judged as to whether the research or experiment was conducted in a careful, objective, scientific manner. There are correct ways to go about conducting research and experiments, and there are sloppy, less reliable ways to do it.

Even though all media outlets lean either liberal or conservative, that does not mean that every reporter or anchor on their staff is of that mindset. There is usually a mix of both perspectives within most news organizations, but the overall slant of these periodicals and media outlets is as stated in the parenthesis. If you understand that when you are listening to or reading their reports and stories, you will have a better understanding of why they are presenting a particular perspective on a story.

The Entire Purpose of Some Sources of Information Is to Mislead

There are many sources of information whose purpose is to mislead and misinform. Their main purpose is to persuade you to their way of thinking just because they believe they are right and everyone else is wrong. Sometimes they stand to gain financially or to obtain power if they can persuade enough people to see things their way, and sometimes they simply believe that their way is the only right way.

There are some people, for example, who would force people if they only could, to accept their religious beliefs. They will say and do whatever it takes to bring people in line with their beliefs and ideas because they truly believe the end justifies the means. That is just one example. There are many examples of intolerant people who do whatever it takes, including making up what they present as facts, to persuade people to their way of thinking whether it is in regard to religion, politics, or something else. If you do not know how to verify whether their information is fact, opinion, or downright fiction, you are more likely to fall prey to their misinformation.

It is important to realize that everyone has an agenda, and everyone has a reason for wanting you to agree with him or her on whatever subject they are discussing or promoting. If it is an advertiser, their agenda is pretty obvious. They want you to buy their product or use their service. If it is a politician, they want you to support them and their political Party so they can win the majority of elections and determine the direction the country will take for the next few years. They may very well benefit in their personal finances and in other ways as well.

Sometimes it is an advocate for a particular social issue who wants to influence your opinion on things like the environment, abortion, the legal drinking age, prayer in school, or any number of different issues that will affect millions of people.

Verify the Accuracy of Information

In every case you should verify that the information someone is giving you is accurate and factual. In every case you need to determine what is fact and what is opinion. Sometimes the information presented will be extremely incorrect and misleading, especially where politics or products are concerned.

In the beginning, doing the necessary research on these things can be difficult because you may not be used to reading political or scientific jargon (depending on what applies to the subject at hand), but like most things, it gets easier with practice and diligence.

Do not be fooled into believing that a statement or common belief is accurate just because a lot of people believe it or accept it as truth. Again, verify the statement or belief. It takes only seconds in many cases.

Some of the worst misinformation is spread virally through email forwards. For some reason people tend to accept whatever these email forwards say without question, never even wondering who originated the ‘forward’ or whether there is even a single word of accuracy in them. Often there is none.

Do not be hornswoggled. Be informed, and know your facts whether they pertain to the Bible, politics, products and services, or statistics and scientific determinations.

Nowadays with the Internet and first class search engines, it often takes only seconds to determine the truth of statements and accusations. Learn what sources (people or institutions or periodicals) have credibility and which ones are simply spreading their own opinions based on misinformation and distortion of the facts for their own benefit.

Difference Between Fact and Opinion

It is important to know facts from opinion. If you are not sure, it takes only minutes, often just seconds, to verify whether or not a statement is fact. Opinions cannot be verified because they are not facts.

Research the person who is making the statement. Learn who s/he is and what their agenda has been previously. Does any respected source list them as a credible authority or expert on the subject they are commenting on or promoting?

Do not assume anything. Never assume that because someone is well known that they are being factual. Do not assume that someone who is not considered a well-known expert or authority in a particular area is not informed. Take a few seconds or minutes to research the facts.

Parroting (repeating) things you have heard others say that some of us may know through our knowledge or research is mistaken or misguided takes a lot of credibility away from you. Never imagine that a lot of people saying or believing the same thing means it is accurate or correct. People used to believe African Americans were not even human, and those same people believed women were incapable of serious responsibility and thinking. Yes, and at one time those same people believed night air and bathing caused disease. No matter how long you may have believed something to be true, it pays to find the truth from a credible source just in case you are wrong.

Even when I think I already know something, before I spread the word through my writing or conversation, I research to make sure. Learn the truth before spreading misinformation or lies.

Factors that make Source Credible

There are many factors that make a source credible. Whenever you are looking at a source on the internet, you should check several things to verify that the information is credible. These things include the source’s authority, accuracy, objectivity, currency, and coverage.

Authority

Authority is important in determining the credibility of a website because it establishes who is in charge of the site, who wrote the information covered there, and more. It is important to look at the background information of an author so that you can understand where the author’s potential biases might lie, how the author knows this information, etc. In this case, “author” refers to an individual, a company, or an institution.

• Is the author’s name listed?

If you know who the author is, you can more easily look up the author and see what else the author has written. If the piece is anonymous, it may not be as reliable because you have no way of finding out if the author is an expert in the field about which they are writing.

• What are the author’s credentials? Do these identify the author as an authority in the field?

Credentials, or the title, such as professor, doctor, specialist, etc. or degree, such as MA, MS, MD, PhD, etc. show that the author is recognized as an authority in the field, either through education (by earning a degree) or by job title or job experience.

• Is the author’s institutional affiliation listed and linked to the home page of that institution?

 Institutional affiliation means what school, business, department, professional organization, etc. the author belongs to. If the author belongs to one or any of these institutions, there should be a link to said institution’s site. This helps determine credibility because an author who is a recognized member of a respected institution has been vetted by that organization as an authority on a particular subject.

• Is the relationship between the institution and the author clear?

If there is a link to the institution but no explanation is made as to the connection the author and the institution share, then you may have to look around both sites to see how the author is vetted by or affiliated with this institution. If you cannot find this information, the author may be lying or misrepresenting their affiliation with the institution, which would make the author seem less credible.

• Does the author list an address (e-mail or snail mail) or phone number for contact?

Authors who are authorities in their subjects should welcome inquiries from others. If the author includes no way to contact them, the site may not be as reliable as there is no easy way to ask the author questions about the source of their information.

• Is there a link to the author’s biographical information?

It is important to know as much information as possible about an author to see if they are knowledgable in the field. For example, if an author is writing about biomedical engineering and his biography states that he has an MA in English Literature, is he as reliable a source as someone who holds a PhD in Biomedical Engineering? The answer is no.

Most of this information can be found in the About Us or the Contact Us link on a webpage. If your source is an article in a newspaper, online magazine, blog, etc., information about the article’s author can be found at either the beginning or end of the article while information on the newspaper, magazine, etc. can be found in the About Us or Contact Us link on a webpage.

Accuracy

• Is the information reliable and free from errors?

Information that is full of spelling, grammatical, or other proofreading errors comes across as unprofessional and unpolished, and therefore unreliable. While one or two small typos are generally forgivable, sites that looke lyke tihs. And haeve wierd Puncuation errors are a sign that the person who wrote the information is not a professional. Additionally, the information itself should be correct and not faulty or wrong. If you’re not sure if the information is correct, do a search for the information and see what others have to say. If the vast majority agree, then it is likely that the information is correct.

• Is a bibliography included to verify the information?

If a site cites other sources, a bibliography, works cited, or reference page or section should be included so that others can verify the information used in the site was used correctly and responsibly. As a bonus, you can use that references section to find more sources for your own paper!

•  Is it clear who is responsible for the accuracy of the material?

Does the author say who looked over the information, especially if the author is citing from other sources? If there is no claim made to the accuracy of the material presented, how can you know if the information is correct?

• Are there links to other reliable sources?

If the site links you to other places to go to get information, then the author is being responsible in acknowledging that his site is not the only place to get information. It is important to get different sources of information so that you can see if there are any discrepancies or errors. If you find any, you will have to reconcile those differences by doing more research or contacting the author(s) to ask where their material came from.

• If statistical material is included, are the sources for these materials clearly stated?

 Statistics can be easily manipulated to show the outcome the author desires and therefore are not alway reliable unless the author states how many people were surveyed, what questions were asked, how the results were interpreted, and why that sampled survey is a fair and honest representation of the population the survey is speaking for. If the author does not tell you this information, then he should include a link to the site where the survey information came from. If there is no link, or if the site where the survey came from does not provide this information, then you should treat the statistics as suspect.

Coverage

• Is the scope of the topic clearly stated?

A reliable, credible source is going to be more reliable and credible if it handles a manageable aspect of the topic, rather than trying to cover absolutely everything about the topic. It is far easier to compile good information about a smaller aspect of a topic than it is to try to get good information about all aspects of the topic. For example, a site that covers every single aspect of every single one of Shakespeare’s works would likely not be as reliable as one that focuses solely on Hamletsimply because of the sheer amount of information that would be required to give an accurate and reliable picture of each aspect of each of those works, whereas focusing on one specific work would make it easier to find and compile good information about that one work.

Are supporting materials (bibliography, charts, statistics, graphics, etc.) given? o As discussed earlier, if a site does not list its references or does not give any supporting materials, such as charts or graphics, then the site may not have credible information.

• Are there links to other resources on the topic?

Again, as discussed earlier, if a site provides links to other sites on the topic, it demonstrates the author’s knowledge of the topic and willingness to show and consider opinions and views other than his own.

• Is the site still under construction?

 If a site is under construction, then the site may not give an accurate portrayal of what the author intends to say. If the site has not been updated in a long while, it is likely that the information is also outdated and may no longer be accurate.

Currency

• Is the date of the latest revision of the site clearly stated?

Look at the webpage to find its current copyright/last revised date. Usually, this information is at the bottom of the page, and should be clearly labeled. If there is no last revised date or copyright year given, then the information may not be current. In a world where information changes quickly, it is best to use the most recent information possible.

• Is the date given for when the information was gathered?

If the information was gathered years ago, it may no longer be accurate. From what year(s) are the sources the author references/cites? If they are old sources, then the information they provide may no longer be accurate.

• Is the page kept current?

If the page is not kept current, then the author may not be a reliable authority on the subject as he may not care enough or do enough research to keep the information he provides current.

• Are the links current; i.e., do they really work?

Broken links that are not quickly fixed may show that the website has not been updated in a long while. Webmasters of reliable sites are quick to fix broken links.

• Is this truly the latest information on the topic?
•  It’s always best to use the most current information on a topic so that you avoid giving old information that may have been proved wrong by new research.

Objectivity

• Is the information presented with the least possible bias?
• It is always important for an author of a credible source to present his arguments with the least amount of prejudice, or bias, towards his own opinion or to another, opposing view. While it is fine for an author to disagree with a particular viewpoint, he must do so politely or risk alienating his audience. Authors who do not include any dissenting opinions also run the risk of being unreliable because they are not presenting the whole picture, which can lead to accusations of being a unreliable or not credible source of information since he is not fairly representing the entirety of the situation.
• Is the site factual, or does the author try to change the user’s mind?
• Be aware of persuasive sites that only present one point of view or ones that actively try to convince you that the information there is the only correct information. Remember, the either/or or false dilemma/dichotomy fallacy states that the idea that there are only two solutions to any given problem is false. Here is an excellent list of fallacies and some examples of them. If the author uses fallacies in making his case, then his information is unreliable.
• Are graphics or imagery used to sway the opinion of the user?
• Authors can use images or graphics to manipulate your emotions and make you feel or believe a certain way. Visual imagery is a powerful manipulator and you should be aware of how responsibly an author uses imagery to illustrate his or her point. For one good example of how imagery can manipulate a viewer’s emotions, see this ASPCA video with Sarah McLachlan asking for donations to help abused animals. Is this video a credible source of information? Why or why not?

SUMMARY

It is important to ensure that the information you are using is factual, true and reliable. Ensure you do your research on your part and do not forward fake or biased information.

References

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