“If you see that a person has lied in the past you should carefully consider whether it is a good idea to trust them,” Jonas said.
3. Find other sources that seem to be reporting the same thing.
“Sometimes you will find that different sources interpret the same event very differently,” Jonas said. “Think about which sources you should trust more.”
Information in research articles, journalistic publications or academic experts and institutions are generally more reliable than blog contributors or social media posts, Jonas said.
Be a bit skeptical, too, she said, when a publication or podcast or post seems to mix information with emotion and see if you can separate out factual reporting with opinion.
Incorporating this healthy skepticism and adopting a system for verifying information will help you build a reputation for credibility and reliability. This is useful not just in your reporting, Jonas said, but in your daily life, as well.
Questions to consider:
1. What is meant by a system of verification?
2. Why should you check for information about the author of an article or post you read?
3. How can a healthy skepticism be useful in your daily life?