Example
Click here to visit website.
Question: Why was this information published? Does Life News have an agenda?
DAPPR Score: 1
Explanation: Reading the “About us” tells you that they are “devoted to reporting news that affects the pro-life community.” This is a giant clue that the site has a pro-life agenda and is going to be one-sided in their news about abortion.
Fact-Checking
You should always double check any facts you come across in your research. Especially if the facts seem outlandish or strange. Case-in-point is the above example with Planned Parenthood supposedly teaming up with satanists. A simple Google search reveals that this is factually untrue:
What is Purpose?
It’s also important to closely read the “About Us.” It’s not enough that a website has one, it’s actually important to read it as well. Reading about the organization behind the website can give you important insights about what they are trying to accomplish, which can clue you in on if the information is reliable.
It is also important to make sure the information is free of emotion and/or bias. It is always important to ask yourself: Is the website trying to persuade me to a particular point of view? If they are trying to persuade the reader, that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad thing. However, there is a very thin line that students need to be aware of. Bias is dangerous when information or facts are twisted, distorted or left out to make a point. For example, if only one side of an argument is mentioned OR if quotes are changed OR if statistics are wrong or misleading. This can be difficult to tell, but the best thing to do is to verify the information with other sources. Are other news outlets reporting similar facts? Are there other scientific studies that have similar results? Do the sources listed on the reference page come from scholarly publications?
It can also be helpful to look at the language and tone of the article and/or website. Pay attention to what type of information is on the page. Is it opinion or fact? Is it using the word “I?” Does the writing seem neutral or is it giving a strong opinion? Pay attention to whether the article is giving you a strong, emotional response. If you feel immediately angry or upset after reading an article, it could be because the author is using strong language. It is okay to use opinions, but it should be from an expert on the topic and the information should be supported by facts, not emotion.
Keep in mind that for college research, you need to focus on websites whose purpose is to promote scholarship and research. Websites devoted to informing the public on current events or issues may also be used.
Helpful Fact-Checking Tools
Snopes & Politifact are two online fact-checking tools that can come in handy for any researcher. Simply visit either of the sites and type in keywords in the search bar. If they have a fact-checking report on the subject, it should come up. Below is what both have to say about the Life News article:
You can find additional information on Snopes & Politifact on the Helpful Resources Tab