Checking Sources
Media biased is a real problem when finding sources. Often, we talk about fake news. However, overly opinioned news or biased news can also be a big problem. When political beliefs influence sources, the reliability of the information is not the same. Separating opinions from facts is more laborious, then one would think. Even some of the best writers that have centrist political beliefs can be affected. It is essential to consider the reputation of the news source or the individual(s) that are presenting the information.
One strategy that people use is reading and citing several different sources. Finding centrist sources that have a high-reliability rating is an effective way to maneuver around this issue. The Associated Press and Reuters are two good examples of centrist sources with high-reliability ratings. Another strategy is reading sources from the left, right, and center of the political spectrum when researching a topic that has political leanings. A researcher has to be careful to pick out verifiable facts. That means we cannot allow our personal bias from affecting our information gathering and research.
There are several opportunities to check the potential bias of a source against a website’s rating. The sites that measure and report this are not perfect. Judging a reference is also an opinion. However, it is an educated opinion. Please take the time to read various news sources through some of these websites to get a more educated view of possible bias.
