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Journalism
Fact, Fiction or Something In-Between
"Journalism can never be silent: that is its
greatest virtue and its greatest fault. It must
speak, and speak immediately, while the echoes of
wonder, the claims of triumph and the signs of
horror are still in the air.”Henry Anatole Grunwald
Thinkexists
As an
educator with over 40 years experience in a
classroom; I would like to pass on this advice to
researchers, especially when you use the Internet.
Before the Internet I would tell my students to read
many newspapers and listen to other commentators
before they formed an opinion. I encouraged them to
go to the library and verify information they
obtained. The Internet is a fantastic source of
information and misinformation. The Classroom and
especially this page was created to help you find
and use relevant and accurate materials for your
studies.
Tips
Review the
origins of broadcasts, internet and printed news articles. Are
they
reputable organizations, schools or persons?
Are the articles opinions? Do they have
footnotes and or source credits?
Analyze
political speeches and statements.
Most politicians are stating
political talking points established
by think tanks, political groups, special
interests and lobbyists. They often
have agenda's that are religious, personal,
economic or political.
Analyze TV and
radio broadcasts. Some
"reports" are personal opinions and
some are accounts of events. When
hearing or seeing a report, check the
background of the reporter and
screen the
information for bias and third party
influence.
Never accept
a report on face value. Research it from a variety of
opposing articles, primary and
secondary sources.
We use Wikipedia and YouTube on many of our
pages. They are a starting point but not a
reliable primary source of information. Use them
to get an understanding of the topic and check
the information they give you with other more
reliable resources.
