COM 1010: Speech Communication

Suggestions and tips for evaluating the information you have found.

About Fact Checking and Reliability of Sources

Financier, statesman, and philanthropist Bernard Baruch, for whom this college is named, once said:

Every man has a right to his own opinion, but no man has a right to be wrong in his facts.

--The Galveston Daily News, October 9, 1946

 

A cornerstone of America's democracy is freedom of speech and protecting the right to varied opinions.  People have many issues and concerns and  have varying opinions as to solutions. Today, we have many means to retrieve information on all subjects via the Internet and print resources.  Some sources of information remain correct for years while others are only correct for a short period--due to many reasons, including more information becoming available about a historic or other event that revises the facts; progress in technology and medicine and other areas of science advance our knowledge in a field so that better remedies or cures are available. In law, tax and accounting, a rule or regulation, valid at one point in time, may be revised or replaced. A decision issued by a court may later be overruled by a higher court.  A decision by the U.S. Supreme Court may revise long held thoughts on rights and obligations. Additionally, some people and organizations may intentionally provide misleading, incomplete or inaccurate information.

The following are some resources to help you to be correct with your facts:

Book for Student Fact Checkers

Cover of book Web Literacy for Student Fact Checkers

Some Sources for Fact Checking, Verification and Fake News

Does The Information Pass the CRAAP Test?

Librarians at Californa State University-Chico offer criteria on currency, relevance, authority, accuracy and purpose.