Emerson College Library: Comprehending Crises : Students: Researching Difficult Topics

Currency of Information: This is a new guide and is still under construction. We are doing our best to ensure that it is accurate and up to date, and will be adding to it over the course of the Fall 2023 semester. If you find discrepancies or outdated information, please email: reference@emerson.edu

Find News & Information on Current Events

Issues and Controversies This link opens in a new window
Usually has a good, balanced article about whatever topic is dominating the news.
CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window
Weekly reports on topics of current interest, with pro and con arguments. Limited to 5 users at a time.
Ethnic News Watch This link opens in a new window
Full-text articles from newspapers, magazines, and scholarly journals of the ethnic, minority and native press. (1959-present)
New York Times Digital - NYTimes.com This link opens in a new window
To use: see the guide on how to create an account. You will need to create an Emerson account with your Emerson email at Accessnyt.com before reading the NYTimes.
Washington Post This link opens in a new window
Access the the Washington Post is available at this link. You may, when accessing here, create a personal account using your @emerson.edu address.
ProQuest News This link opens in a new window
Full-text of newspapers and transcripts from the following Proquest databases: Black Newspapers, Ethnic Newswatch, ProQuest Newsstand, ProQuest National Newspapers.

Publications A-Z
The library also provides an A-Z list of publications (including newspapers) the Emerson community can access. Browse or search by title.

Fact Checking Fake News

Web Literacy for Student Fact Checkers [electronic resource] by Michael Caulfield
"This is an unabashedly practical guide for the student fact-checker. It supplements generic information literacy with the specific web-based techniques that can get you closer to the truth on the web more quickly." - from the author, Michael A. Caulfield
"Learning To Spot Fake News: Start With A Gut Check," NPR Article by A. Kamenetz
Includes list of fact-checking websites, and proven fact-checker strategies from Michael A. Caulfield's book, Web Literacy for Student Fact Checkers.
Spot Fake News - IFLA website
Information and Infographic PDF by the International Federation of Library Associations and Institutions.

How to Spot Fake News PDF (English)
IFLA's infographic also available online in many different languages.

Fake News Can Be Dangerous, Here's How to Spot It (28 min podcast) - NPR
Focuses on COVID-19 "infodemic" of misinformation and disinformation on the pandemic. Relevant strategies for any type of fake news. Also includes interpretation of the podcast as a comic strip. Accessed April, 24, 2020.

Misinformation

The Palgrave Handbook of Media Misinformation by Karen Fowler-Watt and Julian McDougall, editors.
ISBN: 9783031119767
The Palgrave Handbook of Media Misinformation provides a comprehensive and cutting-edge resource on the critical debates surrounding fake news and misinformation online. Spanning all continents and linking academic, journalistic, and educational communities, this collection offers authoritative coverage of conspiracy theories, the post-Trump and Brexit landscape, and the role of big tech in threats to democracy and free speech.

The Media Was Always Bad at Reporting Breaking News, a Brief History
This 2013 article uses examples to show that misinformation about breaking news isn't just a social media problem: it was always an issue on TV, the radio, and even in newspapers.
A Beginner's Guide to Social Media Verification
Investigative journalism and fact-checking organization Bellingcat lays out strategies and further resources for telling fact from fiction on social media.

Evaluating Sources

AllSides
AllSides aggregates coverage from across the political spectrum to help surface media bias and get a broader picture of what's happening.
Media Bias Chart
Nonprofit organization Ad Fontes Media maintains this chart by rating representative articles with a panel of analysts who represent left, center, and right political positions. Sources are rated for both accuracy of information and political bias.
Levels of scientific evidence - News Literacy Project
This infographic breaks down types of scientific research and writing so you can understand how seriously to take a claim.
It it legit? Five steps for vetting a news source - News Literacy Project
This graphic explains how to determine whether a news source can be trusted in five simple steps.

Comprehending Crises

Self Care

Mental Health Resources

Conversation Strategies

Find News & Information on Current Events

Fact Checking Fake News

Misinformation

Evaluating Sources