The way our student reporters present their verification — (Note: The following documentation is a work-in-progress. It is subject to occasional reviews and revisions) Headline format Label: Fact-checking conclusion Labels False: The claim is demonstrably false. The photo/video has been doctored. Main debunking is about the claim and/or the authenticity of photo/video. Misleading: Non-altered (not manipulated) evidence is used out of context…

By Annie Lab team Just when we are getting ready for the new semester, our university has decided to suspend all classes until Feb. 17 — “in light of the latest development of the novel coronavirus.” [update: our courses are now suspended until further notice]. It means our newsroom will be closed as well and our fact-checking project won’t be in full swing anytime soon. Until then, we will have to see what we can do with limited resources.

A newer version of this entry has been posted on Annie Lab. Please visit https://medium.com/annie-lab/about-annie-lab-hku-journalism-6ab9885f0abe Thank you.

ニュースリテラシー講座 其の１ ポスト真実やフェイクニュースという言葉が騒がれ、その対抗策の一環としてメディアリテラシーが注目を集めるようになって久しい。 「フェイクニュースに騙されないためには、メディアリテラシーが必要だ」「SNS上のデマをシェアしないように、メディアリテラシーを身につけよう」 一見なるほどと納得する主張だが、ジャーナリズム教育の世界に長年 …

Or worse, it could even backfire. — I recently learned that Facebook now offers downloadable educational material to teach critical thinking skills. As a news literacy educator, I got curious and decided to take a look. The available module on the page is called “Be a critical thinker” and its blurb reads: “It can be difficult to…

Basic steps — What to look for: Be alert when you see: Sensational wordings, emotional language, promotional writing and obvious exaggeration in the headlines. They often contain misleading information. Ask yourself: Who is sharing this information? Is it from someone you know who often shares questionable information? Is the original producer of the news known for partisanship…

We should think of the issues like medical doctors do — Fake news is not going to go away. Intentionally misleading, false news stories with cherry-picked or made-up facts have been with us from the beginning of modern-day journalism, if not longer. Whether we like it or not, sensational statements, hoaxes, lies, grandiose claims, conspiracy theories and alike are all integral…

This workshop was originally held in May 2017 — Even brilliant reporters get numbers wrong once in a while. This workshop session is about avoiding pitfalls when interpreting surveys, health research, science, and social science studies. Tips When reporting on changes (increase/decrease), put the numbers into context and decide whether the change should be described in percentage or percentage points.