LibGuides: Unverified, Unsourced, and Sometimes Untrue: Evaluating Information Sources: News Sources

Library News Databases

Access World News This link opens in a new window
Full text news sources, translated into English. Look for the “shortcuts” to Georgia newspapers..
CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive reporting and analysis of issues in the news.
Full-length articles include an overview, historical background, chronology, pro/con feature, and resources for additional research.

Newspaper Source
Cover-to-cover full text for 35 U.S. and international newspapers, including The Christian Science Monitor, USA Today, The Washington Post, The Washington Times, The Times (London), The Toronto Star, etc. Also contains selective full text for 375 regional U.S. newspapers, including The Chicago Tribune, The Detroit Free Press, The San Jose Mercury News, etc. In addition, full-text television & radio news transcripts are provided from CBS News, CNN, CNN International, FOX News, NPR, etc.
News & Newspapers
Search 11 full text newspaper databases simultaneously: Atlanta Journal & Constitution, Canadian Newsstand, Christian Science Monitor, International Newspapers, Los Angeles Times, New York Times current & historical, ProQuest Newsstand, The Wall Street Journal & The Washington Post.

Evaluation Tools

AllSides Bias Ratings
Our patented bias rating system reflects the judgment of the American people. It is not “accurate” – there is no such thing as an accurate measure of bias – but it does provide readers a sense of the political leanings of the source. This makes it much easier to provide different perspectives on any topic, helping all of us see a more complete picture and better appreciate each other despite our differences.
How to Choose Your News
How do we choose which news to consume? Damon Brown gives the inside scoop on how the opinions and facts (and sometimes non-facts) make their way into the news and how the smart reader can tell them apart.
List of Fake News Websites
Fake news websites deliberately publish hoaxes and disinformation to drive web traffic inflamed by social media. These sites are distinguished from news satire (which is humorous) as they mislead and profit from readers' gullibility. While most fake news sites are portrayed to be spinoffs of other news sites, some of these websites are examples of website spoofing, structured to make visitors believe they are visiting trusted sources like ABC News or MSNBC.
List of Satirical News Websites
News satire is a type of parody presented in a format typical of mainstream journalism, and called a satire because of its content. News satire is not to be confused with fake news that have intent to mislead. News satire is particularly popular on the web, where it is relatively easy to mimic a credible news source and stories may achieve wide distribution from nearly any site. News satire relies heavily on irony and deadpan humor.
Media Bias/Fact Check
An independent online media outlet dedicated to educating the public on media bias and deceptive news practices. Use the search bar to check the bias of any source.
Source Evaluation Aid
Enter the title of a book or journal, or the url of a website, for descriptive information, including point of view.

Fact-Checking Sites

FactCheck.org
A project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, FactCheck monitors the accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases.
Politifact
A fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics, run by editors and reporters from the Tampa Bay Times, an independent newspaper in Florida
Snopes
Founded by David Mikkelson, a project begun in 1994 as an expression of his interest in researching urban legends that has since grown into the oldest and largest fact-checking site on the Internet.
Washington Post Fact Checker
The purpose of this website, and an accompanying column in the Sunday print edition of The Washington Post, is to “truth squad” the statements of political figures regarding issues of great importance, be they national, international or local.