Research Guides: Fake News: Fighting Fake News

Wikipedia

Should I trust Wikipedia?

Wikipedia should never be used as a main source of information, but can be an effective source for initial research because it often lists important names, dates, and concept definitions that you can then look up independently. Well written Wikipedia articles include lists sources for the information presented - articles, websites, and books. Readers can use these sources to look deeper into the subject and to verify the information found in the Wikipedia article.

Use a trusted source instead. Encyclopedias like Gale eBooks and Encyclopedia Britannica cover many topics and are a great way to get started also. The difference is that entries in an encyclopedia are created by renowned experts and academics from around the world and is a trusted source for factual information.

Encyclopedia Britannica
Explore the fact-checked online encyclopedia from Encyclopedia Britannica with hundreds of thousands of objective articles, biographies, videos, etc.

Gale eBooks This link opens in a new window
Formerly Gale Virtual Reference Library (GVRL). Digital access to reference and handbooks on company information, economics, industry information, and consumer behavior. Help videos

False, Misleading, Clickbait-y, and/or Satirical “News” Sources

Popular fake news lists and sources:

Wardle, C. (2017, February 16). Fake news. It’s complicated. First Draft News. Retrieved from https://firstdraftnews.org/fake-news-complicated/

False, Misleading, Clickbait-y, and/or Satirical “News” Sources - Lists of different types of sites
This is a list of websites classified as False, Misleading, Clickbait-y, or Satrirical. It was compiled by Melissa Zimdar, Assistant Professor of Communication in the Dept. of Communication and Media at Merrimack College and is not a complete list of such websites.
The Daily Dot: Fake News Sites List - List of fake news sites
NOTE: This list is not exhaustive and may be updated at any time. A compiled list of fake news sites to watch out for.
The Onion - Satire
One of America's premier parodic news sites.
The Borowitz Report - Satire
From humorist Andy Borowitz, a column parodizing and commenting on current news trends
Dr. Joseph Mercola - Dangerous
Mercola is a doctor of osteopathy who has frequently been targeted by the FDA for promoting false, misleading and even dangerous medical advice. His site dangerously promotes products and his blog includes false and/or misleading information about medical topics.

Web Domains

Common Internet Domain Extensions

Knowing who can purchase web domain extensions is one tool for evaluating the accuracy of websites and searching for trustworthy sources.

.com

Short for commercial, this domain extension was originally intended for businesses, retailers, and other commercial entities. Currently, there are no restrictions on who may purchase .com domains. (USA)

.org

Short for organization, this domain extension was originally intended for non-profits and other non-commercial entities. Currently, there are no restrictions on who may purchase .org domains. (USA)

.net

Short for Network, this domain extension was originally intended for companies or entities involved with networking and similar internet technology. Currently, there are no restrictions on who may purchase .net domains. (USA)

.gov

Short for government, this domain extension is restricted to official government agencies and departments. (USA)

.edu

Short for education, this domain extension is restricted to educational entities such as schools, universities, and other entities accredited by an agency approved by the national Department of Education. (USA)

Country Specific Internet Domain Extensions

A full list of country domains can be found here, however there are two that are seeing increasing use:

.co

This domain extension is technically Columbian, however it is marketed globally.

.io

This domain extension is coded to the British Indian Ocean Territory. However, it is marketed globally and is currently popular with tech companies.

Organizations & Resources

Who opposes fake news?

The Poynter Institute
The Poynter Institute develops resources for journalists and writers, plus offers resources on fact checking and media literacy for the general public.
The News Literacy Project
A nonprofit whose purpose is to provide tools and resources to middle and high school students (and their classrooms) on media literacy
Framework for Information Literacy for Higher Education
From the Association for College and Research Libraries (ACRL), a division of the American Library Association. This is an in-depth look at the factors that go into discerning the reliability of a claim.