Libraries: Middle School
"Supporting critical, ethical and global thinking."
"Supporting critical, ethical and global thinking."
The following definitions are from "The Word Wall", Checkology's glossary of news literacy terms and definitions
Accuracy
In journalism, the standard of making sure each detail or piece of information is correct in an effort to prevent errors and provide as true a representation of issues, events and facts as possible. Quality news organizations place the utmost importance on getting the facts right and take steps to correct factual errors when they occur.
Bias
Prejudice in favor of or against one thing, person, or group compared with another, usually in a way considered to be unfair.
Confirmation Bias
The natural, unconscious human tendency to notice and readily accept information that agrees with or reinforces someone’s existing beliefs, and to overlook or question information that complicates or conflicts with those beliefs. Confirmation bias can make it extremely hard for people to change their views or beliefs about a given subject, since it causes them to treat evidence in inconsistent and unfair ways.
Disinformation
Misinformation that is deliberately created to be false, usually to achieve a desired ideological or political result.
Loaded language
Words that are not neutral that can sway opinions — for example, by steering people toward or away from a particular idea or position. The use of loaded language diminishes the credibility of polls, surveys and news reports.
Misinformation
Information that is misleading, erroneous or false. While misinformation is sometimes created and shared intentionally, it is often created unintentionally or as humor (for example, satire) and later mistaken as a serious claim by others.
News
Information that informs you, through fair and impartial reporting, about local, national and international events, issues and people of significance or of interest.
News Media Bias
When assumptions or opinions favoring one side or interpretation of an issue or event skew news reporting in a way that is unfair or distorting.
Op-ed
An opinion piece published by a standards-based news organization that is written by a guest contributor who is not a newspaper employee. The name “op-ed” refers to the placement where such pieces historically appeared in print newspapers (opposite the editorial page). Op-eds generally share the personal opinions of outside writers and aim to spark discussion or make an argument about an issue or event in the news. Reputable news organizations have standards that require such pieces to be based on accurate information.
Opinion Journalism
Pieces of journalism that, unlike news reports, do not seek to avoid bias but rather are intended to share an opinion or perspective and, often, to try to persuade the audience to embrace a point of view about an issue or subject. They include op-eds, columns, editorials and editorial or political cartoons. At reputable news organizations, pieces of opinion journalism are still expected to be based on accurate information and should be clearly marked to help the public avoid confusing them with straight news reports.
Truth
In journalism, the process that begins with collecting facts and putting them in an order and context that is proven to be true and that clarifies reality. Truth is often not known when a story first “breaks,” but takes time to come out after all the facts are known and many news reports have been produced.
Verification
Proof or confirmation of factual accuracy. In journalism, verification is a set of practices — such as getting details of an event confirmed by multiple sources — designed to ensure accuracy.