Evaluate Sources

Claims are the accuracy and relevance of the information in a source. Some questions to ask are: When was the source published? What do other experts in the field say about the claims? Does the author cite their sources? 

When we talk about claims, we're looking at what the author is saying, the accuracy of what's being said, and where the author got their information. 

Accuracy

It can be hard to know if someone is getting their facts straight when you don't know much about the topic at hand. To fact check, seek out information from multiple experts in the field. This doesn't necessarily mean reading a bunch of scholarly articles to back up the information in one source, rather, you can pull up websites with authors that pass your cred check, as well as encyclopedias, official sites of professional organizations, and even fact checking websites. Compare what's being said in your source to what other experts are saying. 

If, for example, an article says carrots are terrible for your health, you could look at WebMD, The USDA, Healthline, and the Encyclopedia Britannica. WedMD and Healthline both have evidence based and medically reviewed articles about the nutritional value of carrots. The USDA encourages eating carrots and the encyclopedia also mentions briefly that carrots are rich in carotene, though it doesn't go into nutrition beyond this. None of the available information confirms the claim that carrots are bad for your health.

Do They Cite?

Another good way to test a source's claims is to look at the sources they cite, if they cite any sources at all. Is there a references section or links that take you to where they got their information? If there aren't any sources listed, that's a red flag!

Just because an author has citations, does not mean they have legitimate sources. Look through the citation list of your article and follow the links. Do the sources actually back up what your author is saying? Do those sources come from credible authors? Don't be fooled by a source that looks like it has good references! 

When was it Written?

When you are looking at a source, it's important to take note of when that source was written. For some projects, you might need articles written in the past, but if you are learning about a current topic, it's important to use information that is up to date. If you're looking at a web source, look for a publication date or a last modified date. If it's been several years, but a web article is claiming to have the newest information, maybe look for something a little newer. 

It's also good to remember that different publication types will be "new" within different time frames. In the world of social media, "breaking news" may start circulating the very minute a situation occurs, whether or not we know all the facts. News sources will usually try to get articles and broadcasts out about a situation within a matter of hours. On the other end of things, scholarly articles take several months to be published due to the peer-review process, and a book may take years to be published.