This document provides a guide to fact checking by defining what fact checking is, why it is important, who does it, and how it is done. Fact checking is determining the truth and accuracy of statements in nonfiction texts by verifying claims before or after publication. It promotes accountability and transparency in journalism. Fact checkers investigate politicians' statements and articles for false or misleading claims using sources like government records, statistics, and expert interviews. They preserve evidence and present just the facts to debunk "fake news" while maintaining transparency in their sources and methods.

2. FACT CHECKING:
A guide to debunking
falsehoods and fake news
Universidad de Manila
March 9, 2018
Ellen Tordesillas

3. What is
FACT CHECKING?

4. Simply put, fact checking
is the act of determining if
statements in a nonfictional
text are true and correct.

5. It may be done before
or after the text is
published or aired.

6. Is it new?

9. Why fact check?
a journalistic
TRADITION
discipline of
VERIFICATION
ACCOUNTABILITY
journalism
journalism in the PUBLIC
SERVICE
`

13. Who fact-checks?

19. factcheck.ph

20. “IS THAT SO?”
Started with University
of the Philippines
journalism students

21. Can you do it?

23. These high school journalists
investigated a new principal’s
credentials.
Days later, she resigned.

25. False Claims
Fact Sheets Fake News
Flip-Flops

26. FALSE CLAIM

30. FLIP-FLOP

31. FLIP-FLOP

32. BACKSTORY

33. BACKSTORY

34. FACT SHEET

35. FACT SHEET

36. FACT SHEET

37. What is
FAKE NEWS?

38. FAKE NEWS?
“Kadalasan po, ilang
mainstream media
katulad po ng GMA
News na ako daw po ay
nagselfie sa loob ng
grand mosque sa
Marawi.”
Uson said GMA News
should have gotten her
side.

39. FAKE NEWS?
Social media
erupted early
Friday morning
when Philstar.com
ran a Philippine
Star report that
President Duterte
signed on Aug. 29 a
new law
criminalizing fake
news.
The article first appeared in The
Philippine Star. Philstar.com
subsequently carried the article.

40. FAKE NEWS?
The law punishing false
news already exists, as
stated in the Revised Penal
Code.
Sen. Franklin Drilon, author
of Republic Act No. 10951,
said the new law merely
amends the code to restore
the “proportionality of
crime and punishment,” by
updating outdated
penalties to match their
2017 monetary equivalents.

43. What is
FAKE NEWS?

44. What is
FAKE NEWS?

45. What is
FAKE NEWS?

46. What is
FAKE NEWS?

53. MONITOR press
conferences, speeches,
events, interviews, news
reports for fact-check-
worthy statements.

54. A statement is verifiable if
its truthfulness and
accuracy can be checked
using official documents
and statistics.

55. When fact-checking a statement, ask:
Is it verifiable / feasible?
Is it relevant?
Is it a statement of fact?

56. If the person who flip-
flopped is a government
official, review the
transcript or any official
documentation.

57. The statement being fact-checked has to be firsthand.
You have to get the
video or audio and
compare it with
government
transcripts if
available.
Sometimes, the official
transcript won’t match
the video, so make
sure to match these.
Triangulate if
statements can’t
be found except in
news reports.
Use at least three
media reports using
the same quote.
Cross-check them
against one
another.

58. Make a screengrab,
PRESERVE the evidence.
Now, CHECK the claim.

59. HOW?

60. Conduct online research
on: - existing laws and
jurisprudence
- studies published in academic
journals

61. Check official documents.
- SALN, financial
statements, election
records, school records,
studies by gov’t agencies

62. Use primary sources to provide evidence.
Primary source is direct
evidence of an event or
topic such as historical
and legal documents,
video and audio
recordings, etc.
But remember, even
documents lie. So
corroborate what the
documents say with the
interviews.
o Speeches, press conferences,
interviews
o Press releases
o Court records
o Existing laws and
jurisprudence
o Legislative documents such as
bills, committee reports
o Government records, reports
and statistics
o Academic journals
o School records and
photographs
o Official government websites
and social media accounts of
public figures

63. Run a data analysis.
Most fact checks
involving figures will
require you to request the
disaggregated data.

64. Interview experts.

66. Do’s and don’ts when fact-checking
The statement
being fact-
checked has to
be firsthand.
Triangulate if
statements can’t
be found except
in news reports.
Use primary
sources to
provide
evidence.
Be transparent
with your
sources.
Do not
editorialize; let
the facts speak
for itself.
Go over your
sources again
before
publishing your
fact check.

71. Find us at:
Thank you!
factcheck.ph
/verafiles
@verafiles
factcheck.org.ph
(Filipino)
Credits: Presentation slides from Slides
Carnival