A couple of weeks ago, I wrote about how to identify a legitimate website, but how do you know if what someone has written is accurate? How do you tell if they are dealing in fact or opinion because they want to persuade you to their side? Let’s do a dive today on sorting out factual information from opinion and identifying truth from misinformation.
I begin with the “About Us” page on a website if I’m unfamiliar with the person or people producing the content. This section should provide you with information about that individual or company. If you’re looking for legal advice, then the writer should either be an attorney, retired attorney, or someone in the legal profession who would be familiar with laws specific to your area and need. If you’re looking for information on a medical condition, then the writer should either be a doctor or nurse who has knowledge in that specialty. In other words, is the website written or maintained by a qualified person in the subject you are searching?
Also, when you read an article, look for emotional and/or judgmental language. Yes, there are things we are going to look up which create emotion, but when I’m looking for facts, emotional language should be at a minimum. Judgment falls in line with emotional language. If the writer cannot remove their own judgment, then consider the information an editorial piece. The writer is expressing how they feel about the subject. There is nothing wrong with a writer expressing emotion and judgment, but it can blur the facts when someone is trying to understand a situation. Search for information with more facts than opinion.
Facts are pieces of information that can be proven. If someone cites a statistic, where did the statistic come from? What is the source? Later, I will do a post on studies, sample sizes, and research, but for now, look for articles and websites that tell you exactly where their information came from. For instance, I have learned how to evaluate articles and websites from years of library experience and academic research as a student. During my last year in college, I became good at weeding out academic articles that contained overly emotional language, sample sizes that were too small, and insufficient sources to support their study.
Another area to be wary of is if someone is trying to persuade you to a particular point of view when all you want is information. Persuasive language in an article is a red flag. They are trying to convince us to agree or disagree with something when we just want to know what is going on.
Looking at three or four sites or articles is one of the best ways to verify facts and eliminate misinformation. I rarely rely on a single source of information when I’m researching. I look at a minimum of two, and I prefer at least three so I can counteract bias, opinion, and misinformation. What you want is a balance of all perspectives on any issue. What you believe about something is your right, but it’s always important to understand that other people may have different views. Viewing multiple sources of information makes you more informed and prepared.
Here are a few more specific tips:
- If you are looking for information on local events, look for sources closer to the location. For instance, when the Surfside condominium collapsed in Florida, I found the local news stations were more accurate in their reporting than the national news media. The local reporters were able to get consistent information in their own area.
- If you want to know how a congressperson voted on a new bill, visit the federal or state site to see those results instead of relying on media outlets. Get it straight from the source instead of filtered through a reporter.
- If you’re reading a medical article, look to see if it is peer-reviewed. This means that other doctors have checked the validity of the article.
Remind yourself, just because it’s online doesn’t mean that it’s accurate information. Also, many places will issue disclaimers on their information. They are providing facts to you for free, but you are responsible for how you use them and how much you trust. The hard truth is being informed requires effort on our part. We have to choose to look beyond a single source and look deeper into the motivation of the writers. Be willing to take the extra time because it can make a lot of difference.
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And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free. (John 8:32, NKJV)
All Things Subject to Change 