Where to go for facts? And where do you go to check those facts? Many websites that present “factual” information are actually owned by groups with a specific agenda or platform. You want to get information from nonbiased, vetted institutions. Here are some suggested sites for various kinds of fact-checking:
- Academic or university and college websites.
- Government sites.
- Wire services, also known as news agencies, are organizations that sells news reports to subscribing news organizations. Since they provide news to subscribers on both ends of any political spectrum, they strive for complete objectivity and neutrality. The best-known services include:
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- Associated Press (U.S.)
- Reuters (U.K.)
- Press Association (U.K.)
- United Press International (U.S.)
- Agence France Presse (France)
- Canadian Press (Canada)
- Deutsche Press-Agentur (Germany)
- Snopes.com—an independently owned,
fact-checking resource. - Google Scholar—allows you to search articles, theses, book abstracts, and court opinions from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities, and other websites.
- Library reference desks are staffed by professional researchers and can compile amazing results related to fact-checking a historical event or saying.
Medical information:
- World Health Organization
Quotation verification:
- Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations (book and website)
- Oxford Dictionary of Quotations