Reading past the headline: a source-first approach
A practical reading checklist: trace a claim to its source, check its date, and separate evidence from interpretation before sharing an article.
At a glance
- Start with the original source, not a repeated headline.
- Check who wrote the article and when its claims were last reviewed.
- Keep observations, opinions, and unresolved questions separate.
Start with the question
Before opening another tab, write down what you want to understand. A narrow question makes it easier to notice whether an article actually answers it or simply introduces a related topic.
Follow the evidence
Look for links that lead to the original announcement, document, dataset, or interview. Several websites repeating the same statement do not necessarily represent several independent sources.
Check the context
Read the surrounding paragraph. Note when the source was published and whether the claim applies to a particular place, version, or period. Keep those limits with your notes.
Look for editorial accountability
A named author, a meaningful update date, and an explanation of the publication’s editorial approach give you places to start checking. They are useful signals, rather than a guarantee that every statement is correct.
The editorial pages linked below offer examples of how publications describe their work. Read the statements critically and compare them with the article in front of you.
Leave room for uncertainty
Record what the evidence establishes and what remains unclear. When you share an article, preserve those distinctions rather than turning a qualified observation into a definite claim.
