By Newstake · Updated
How can I trace a news claim back to its original source?
Follow the link behind the claim until you reach the statement, filing, paper or data it came from. Then read the surrounding text. A few missing words can change the story.
Photo by @emilwidlund on Unsplash
- The claim
What exactly does the headline say?
- The original
Where did the figure or statement come from?
- The context
Do the surrounding words support the claim?
Ask exactly what is being claimed
“The company is growing” is vague. “Revenue rose 12% last quarter” gives you something to check. Look for the period, the figure and the document behind it.
Follow quoted names and source links. If one summary leads to another, keep going until you find the original.
Read the words around the quote
Watch for “up to,” “estimated” and “subject to approval.” Check dates, units and exceptions. A headline may describe a result more broadly than the underlying document does.
A release proves that its author made a statement. To test the statement itself, you may need data, an independent account or a later update.
Keep a link you can return to
Save the document title, publisher, date and relevant passage. Note your own interpretation separately.
Newstake puts the original-source link on each publication. Use its description to find the right document, then read the original. If you cannot access it, leave that gap visible.
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