Journalism is about finding facts, interpreting their importance, and then sharing that information with the audience.

That's all journalists do: find, verify, enrich and then disseminate information.

It sounds easy, but we are dealing with volatile raw material. Handled carelessly, the facts we uncover, research and present have the power to cause misunderstandings, damage and could change the course of history.

That's why it's essential that we apply robust fact checking to all our journalism. This is the process that distinguishes facts from rumor and gossip.

The following is a checklist that all journalists might want to follow if they are to play an effective role in informing the public debate.

1. Are you preventing thorough fact checking?

The first obstacle to accurate fact checking could be yourself.

Do you have a vested interest in the topic, as opposed to a genuine journalistic interest?

Did you investigate the situation because you have a desired outcome in mind?

Are you trying to make the facts fit a headline you have already written in your head?

If so, you may have compromised your objectivity which might make it difficult to produce a piece of journalism that is strictly factual.

Of course there will always be causes dear to your heart, but this must not let this influence your work.

2. The two reliable sources rule

Most media organizations have a rule that all facts should be confirmed by two reliable sources. Often the wires will be counted as one source.

The journalist then has to find another source that is willing to go on record to verify the information. Ideally, you should be able to attribute the information found to that named source.

Sometimes, because of legal reasons, privacy issues or the likelihood of danger, it is not advisable to name sources. In such cases you need to be sure that your source is trustworthy.

You will need to be able to convince your editor that the source is legitimate and the information the source is sharing is correct.

3. Don't rely on the news wires, they could be wrong

Some media organizations simply copy and paste wires stories. That's fine; media organizations pay a lot of money for wires feeds, so they may as well make the most of them.

However, the wires will sometimes get it wrong and issue retractions.

You don't want to have to apologize to your audience for having blindly copied and pasted unverified information.

If you do, you may have let your audience down and you will have reduced the standing of your media organization, and yourself, in the minds of those who had previously turned to you for verified and reliable information.

To read the full article, click here.

This story first appeared on the site of IJNet’s partner, Media Helping Media (MHM), a training information site that provides free media resources for journalists working in transition states, post-conflict countries and areas where freedom of expression and media freedom is under threat. The complete article is translated in full into IJNet’s six other languages with permission from Media Helping Media.

Image CC-licensed, thanks to Apreche on Flickr.