Fact-checking

Fact-checking is the process of testing factual claims against reliable evidence, either before publication or after they have circulated. It distinguishes verifiable assertions from opinion and corrects claims found to be inaccurate.

Claim: A statement presented as true or false and potentially supported or challenged by evidence. Fact-checking begins by isolating the precise assertion that can be tested.
Political fact-checking: The verification of factual claims made by politicians and other public figures. Public statements often make measurable claims that can be checked against records.
Snopes: An American fact-checking and urban-legend investigation website founded by David and Barbara Mikkelson. Snopes brought online rumor investigation and claim verification to a broad audience.
Peer review: Evaluation of scholarly work by experts in the same or a related field before publication or acceptance. Peer review assesses a work’s scholarly quality, while fact-checking targets the accuracy of claims.
Misinformation: False or misleading information shared without requiring an intent to deceive. Fact-checking can identify misinformation and clarify which parts are unsupported.
Primary source: A source providing direct evidence or firsthand records from the time or event under study. Original records can establish what happened more directly than later summaries.
Prepublication fact-checking: Verification of a work’s factual assertions before it is published. This process catches errors before they reach an audience.
PolitiFact: An American political fact-checking organization operated by the Poynter Institute. Its claim ratings made explicit judgments a prominent format for political verification.
Editorial review: Assessment of a work’s structure, clarity, style, and suitability for publication. Editorial review improves presentation and coherence beyond checking factual accuracy.
Disinformation: False information deliberately created or shared to deceive or manipulate an audience. Verification can expose deceptive claims, though it cannot by itself establish the source’s intent.

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