Verification Handout

Verification & Data Visualization

• Story Verification
• Objectivity involves verifying facts.
• Techniques of Verification
• Edit with skepticism (aka Prosecutorial Editing).
• Adjudicating (act as a judge) a story line by line.
• When Editing, Ask Questions
• How do we know this?
• Why would a reader believe this?
• What is the assertion behind the sentence?
• Tip: Editor and reporter sit side by side to edit the story.
• Keep an Accuracy Check List
• Ask More Questions
• Is the lead of the story sufficiently supported?
• Is the context of the story complete?
• Are all stakeholders in the story identified?
• Have other sides of this issue been contacted?
• Does the story pick sides or make subtle value judgements?
• REMEMBER: When a journalist has an agenda going into an interview the story them becomes propaganda.
• Final Questions To Ask
• Have you attributed (given credit to) all of these facts in the story?
• Do the facts back you up your story?
• Did you double check the quotes and make sure they are in proper context?
• Data Visualization / Information Graphics
• Information graphic is a set of information organized in a visual manner.
• Information design makes complex information understandable to more people than traditional text.