Evaluating News
News includes many formats, including newspaper articles, investigative journalism, magazines, trade publications (news for a specific field, such as higher education or chemical engineering), broadcast journalism, and online news websites. How can you tell if you're looking at a quality news source?
- The publisher or news organization should be easy to spot
- Google the news organization - they should have a website, Wikipedia page, and be referenced in other sources
- Pay careful attention to the date
- More reliable news sources list an individual author - you should be able to find their credentials and journalistic history
- More reliable news sources list sources and accurately represent the claims in those sources
- Google a few things about the article or click around on the news website
Below, you'll find some news publications the SU Libraries subscribe to. These are great places to start.
- Interactive Media Bias ChartConsider using the interactive Media Bias Chart to learn more about the biases and quality of general news organizations. The 11th edition static version of the chart can also be found at the bottom of this page for quick reference.
Science News
- Scientific AmericanAuthoritative articles on all sciences by scientists who do the research reported. Edited for the interested layman.
- National GeographicArticles deal with interesting people, places, customs, activities and nature on a worldwide scale. Also covers National Geographic Society expeditions and discoveries.
- NatureOriginal research articles & letters, review articles, news of science in universities, industry & government, correspondence and opinion pieces.
- Popular Science2002-2020. Articles for the general reader on science, usually entertaining, fun, or novel in some way.
- Science NewsShort snapshots of current science research, usually accompanied by photographs.
General News
- Washington Post This link opens in a new windowIndexes, abstracts, and provides online full text for the Washington Post newspaper 1987-present
- New York Times This link opens in a new windowIndexes, abstracts, and provides online full text for the New York Times newspaper (1980-present), the New York Times Book Review (1988-present), and the New York Times Magazine (1997-present).
- Baltimore Sun This link opens in a new windowIndexes, abstracts, and provides online full text for The Sun, Baltimore (Baltimore Sun) newspaper 1990-present.
- Wall Street Journal This link opens in a new windowIndexes, abstracts, and provides online full text for the Wall Street Journal newspaper 1984-present
Librarian Contact
Static Media Bias Chart
