End-of-the-year audit: whose voice made the cut?
By Kristin Taylor
One of the highest callings of journalism is to “give voice to the voiceless.”
As scholastic journalism classes begin to wrap up, it’s a good time for staffs to look back at the year to evaluate their coverage and see how fully they’ve met that goal. Before starting the process, I suggest having students make predictions.
Read MoreSifting through the sources: how to really know which source has the ‘truth’
by John Bowen
In their book, “Blur: How to know what’s true in the age of information overload,” Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel speak of a news process they call “skeptical knowing.” Applying this process, they say, will help journalists and audiences better evaluate information they receive – and pass on. The process involves not only evaluating news but also applying ethical values.
This lesson will explore the basics of that process in trying to determine whether facts and sources used lead to reliable, credible and complete storytelling.
Read MoreAnother resource for teaching verification
Looking for a way to help students understand the importance of verifying information before they break stories – no matter which platform they use?
Check out NewsU’s Sources, Verification and Credibility self-directed course.
In the course you will study:
- The characteristics of different forms of information, including news, advertising and public relations
- How to identify different types of sources
- How to evaluate the credibility of sources
- How to assess the credibility of websites
- Questions you should ask to ensure you’re publishing credible information.
As we saw this week, understanding the importance of verifying information and sources can be crucial to maintain credibility of our publications.
Like many of NewsU’s course, it is free. Like many of the courses, it is interactive.
* Note: So I am transparent, Candace Perkins Bowen developed the course.
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