When you publish content, whether it’s a news story, blog item, tweet or Facebook post, your credibility is at stake. To ensure what you publish is fair, accurate and complete, ask the following questions:
- Who else do you need to talk to?
- Does this make sense?
- What’s missing?
- Have you kept opinion out of the information—or clearly labeled it as opinion?
- Have you eliminated your bias and your sources’ bias as much as possible?
- Have you filled in the gaps in information?
- Have you made your reporting transparent?
- Have you put the information in context?
- Did you avoid sensationalism and are you showing why the topic is important in a clear and concise way?
Taken from Sources, Verification and Credibility, a self-directed course at Poynter NewsU.
Have you missed a Coffee Break Course? Here’s our complete lineup. Or follow along on Twitter at #coffeebreakcourse.
