JOURNALIST RESOURCES
CONTENTS
We suggest using short videos or audio clips to facilitate and enliven classroom discussion. Here are several suggestions.
Multimedia Resources & Classroom Activities
The Center for News Literacy created a system to teach students how to tell if a news story is real. It offers examples of print and video stories for students to practice on. This is an excellent guide and fun classroom.
The Wall Street Journal made a website that demonstrates how news looks different on a liberal person's social media feed vs. a conservative person's feed. Use this to explain why it's important not to rely solely on social media for your news.
A BBC reporter talks about how he constructs a story. Use this clip to help students understand the storytelling tools journalists use to communicate the news.
Use this clip to start a discussion about why it's important for journalists to be on the scene of a story even when it's dangerous.
NPR's On The Media explains how breaking news can get it wrong. Use this audio clip for an advanced group of students to explain more nuanced news literacy concepts.
TED-Ed offers a primer on the importance of the news and how to find trustworthy sources, complete with helpful background information for students. This video is a great way to start a news literacy talk.
This clip can be used to discuss how journalists fact check politicians and why it matters. In this video, CNN reporters explain how they investigated and debunked 2015 Republican primary candidate Ben Carson's claim that he was a violent child.
A BBC reporter talks about how he and his editors decide what's newsworthy. Use this clip to help students understand what gets on the news and why.
During a lecture at American University TV news anchor Diane Sawyer explains how ABC decides what to put on the news. Use this to open a discussion about why some stories get covered and others don't.
This clip explains how false news spreads. Use it as an introduction to a discussion about fake news.
This short video will help students understand the basics of identifying fake news. Use it to start a discussion about where students have seen fake news before.
This video focuses on how to spot fake claims in forwarded e-mails but can be used as an example of how to identify bogus information on social media and throughout the Internet.
A University of Missouri journalism professor narrates a brief PowerPoint presentation that explains how journalists decide what is newsworthy and what stories to cover.
The Center for News Literacy uses a New York Post story about a "pregnant spider" to demonstrate how to spot fake news. This is an excellent example of how to use the IMVAIN source test.
Four helpful tips with clear examples to help news consumers learn to spot fake news. Use as a starting point to discuss fake news.
An explanation of how scientific studies can be misleading and how to figure out which ones to trust. Use to help students understand how to vet sources and decide which ones to trust.
A classic example of a widely believed fake news story. Use it to explain how students can utilize verification tools like IMVAIN and the consumer's questions to identify fake news.
Graphics & Handouts
These graphics could be helpful for PowerPoint slides or as handouts.
Use this chart to show how not all news sites are created equal. Discuss how some sites are bias and why where you read the news is important.
Researchers at MIT created this graph to show how little liberal and conservative users communicate with one another. Use this graphic to show how social media becomes an echo chamber.
This Pew report shows how liberals and conservatives interact with the media differently. Use the graphics to discuss with students how ideology determines what you read, who you trust, and what you believe.
A 10-step guide for identifying fake news from The News Literacy Project.
Share these trusted fact checking resources.
Fact Checking Websites
This comic can be a fun starting point to discuss the problem of news consumers who dismiss mainstream news, post unverified opinions online and use social media to get their news.
The IMVAIN test teaches students to exam news by questioning if the sources are Independent, Multiple, Verified, Authoritative/Informed, Named (IMVAIN). More information about the test is available here.
NPR's On The Media created this guide to for making sense of breaking news. Share it with advanced students to talk about how to read breaking news.
A BuzzFeed News analysis after the 2016 election found that the top 19 fake news election stories were shared more than the top 19 mainstream media ones. Use to demonstrate the unreliability of social networks as your main source of news.
A six question guide from the Newseum to help news consumers determine the validity of a source.
We encourage journalists to develop their own news literacy lectures but for those short on time or looking for something to get started we offer these lecture outlines.
Lecture Outlines
This slideshow is paired with our sample lecture. Use it as is, customize it or look at it get ideas and make your own. Click here to download it.
Use this outline to plan your talk. Work with it as is, customize it or use it as inspiration to make your own. Click here to download it.