Five-Step Fact-Checking

Information evaluation and verification 101: Source reliability, content credibility, audiovisual material checking

Fact-checking is a basic process for evaluating and verifying information, which can be done in a rather simple way. Here are five questions to ask:

1. Can you identify the original source? (If not, don’t publish without a caveat)
2. Can you verify the content?
3. Does the information fit the context? (For example, is the information used in an appropriate way, or is there any important information missing?)
4. Can you obtain permission to publish this information? (this is particularly important for user-generated content, which might be copyright protected)
5. Can you set out evidence for your reader? (citations and references, links to original sources)

If you have answered yes to each of these questions, then it is a fact. Facts can be verified, proven or demonstrated; if not, the information is just a claim. Opinions and claims cannot be fact-checked.

Source: Africa Check