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University Library

GEP 110

A guide to help you get started on your research project.

News Sources

You're probably all familiar with the term "fake news" and there is a lot of discussion about misinformation and disinformation in our media streams. So how do you choose a credible/appropriate source for this project? First, there's no such thing as a completely "unbiased" news outlet. News media leans left or right to varying degrees and individual reporters and authors have their own unique perspectives. What is important is to understand the pros and cons of the source you choose.

These sites can help you determine where a source falls:

  • Allsides shows how different media outlets report stories. You can see the right, left and center reporting takes on issues.
  • The Media Bias Chart is an interactive tool that helps the user to visualize where a given outlet falls on the spectrum.
  • Sites like FactCheck.org can be useful in researching false claims in the media.  

Possible news sources

For national news these would include sources like:

Think Local too!

Accessing Sources

Although the library does have news databases, the articles are often plain text and don't provide the same experience as browsing a newspaper or reading the online content. Many news sites allow a limited number of articles for "free" before they limit access, though if you can afford to, supporting journalism, especially local journalism is a good thing. When I am looking for news, I prefer to "Google" it . You can use the news tab on Google to limit to news stories on your topic.

In addition to using those free articles, your public library may offer access to some newspapers. As SSU students, you are eligible for a digital access library card at the Sonoma County Library. If you are from out of the area it's worth checking to see what your local public library offers.

Here are some good choices for browsing news databases in the library including some lesser known news sources.

 

OneSearch

Search OneSearch

Do a basic keyword search in OneSearch to find books, articles, media, and more.