The 5 Cs of Critical Consuming
#1: Context – Look at the context of the article.
- When was it written?
- Where does it come from?
- Have the events changed since then?
- Is there any new information that could change your perspective?
#2: Credibility – Check the credibility of the source.
- Does the site have a reputation for journalistic integrity?
- Does the author cite credible sources?
- Is it satirical?
- Is it on a list of fake news sites?
- Is it actually an advertisement posing as a real news story?
#3: Construction. Analyze the construction of the article.
- What is the bias?
- Are there any loaded words?
- Any propaganda techniques?
- Any omissions that you should look out for?
- Can you distinguish between the facts and opinions?
- Is it simply all speculation?
#4: Corroboration: Corroborate the information with other credible news sources.
- Is it the only source making this claim? If it is, there’s a good chance it’s actually not true.
#5: Compare: Compare it to other news sources to get different perspectives and a bigger picture of what’s actually happening.
- Are there other credible sources from other areas of the ideological or political spectrum?
From http://www.spencerauthor.com/fake-news-is-a-real-problem-heres-how-students-can-solve-it/
