LibGuides: Fake News: a workshop for graduate students who teach undergrads: Resources and Tools

Resources

Interested in learning more about media literacy, news evaluation, and education? Use the following databases to search for research articles, books, and news.

Academic Search Complete Unlimited users.Updated daily. A comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full text database, with more than 5,300 full text periodicals, including 4,400 peer-reviewed journals. Offers indexing and abstracts for more than 9,300 journals and a total of 10,900 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc.Features PDF content going back as far as 1865, with the majority of full text titles in native (searchable) PDF format. Searchable cited references are provided for 1,000 journals.
Communication & Mass Media Complete (CMMC) Unlimited users.Updated regularly. Provides indexing for some 400 periodicals, including full text for over 200 titles, in areas related to communication and mass media. CMMC incorporates CommSearch (formerly produced by the National Communication Association (NCA)), and Mass Media Articles Index (formerly produced by Pennsylvania State University). CommSearch offered bibliographic and keyword references to 26 journals in communication studies, with coverage extending to the inaugural issue of each -- some from as far back 1915. It also included cover-to-cover indices of NCA's six journals (from their first editions to the present), and abstracts from their earliest appearance in NCA journals. Mass Media Articles Index provided citation coverage of over 40,000 articles related to mass media and published in over 60 research journals, as well as major journalism reviews, recent encyclopedias, and handbooks in the area of communications studies.
Education Source Unlimited users.The collection includes full text for more than 1,700 journals, 550 books and monographs, education-related conference papers, citations for over 4 million articles including book reviews and over 100,000 controlled and cross-referenced names of educational tests. Coverage in Education Source spans all levels of education from early childhood to higher education and also includes educational specialties such as multilingual education, health education and testing.
Web of Science Unlimited users.Updated weekly. The Web of Science Core Collection is a group of databases (Science Citation Index Expanded, 1900-present; Social Sciences Citation Index, 1900-present; Arts & Humanities Citation Index, 1975-present) that together cover more than 21,000 journals across all disciplines. The Emerging Sources Citation Index (2005-present) tracks thousands of additional journals that are being considered for inclusion in the main citation indexes. Other files track references from conference proceedings (1990-present) and citations to books (2005-present). The Web of Science platform currently also provides temporary access to several databases that are not part of the Core Collection, including Biosis Citation Index, Data Citation Index, and Zoological Record.
Springer LINK Unlimited users.Updated daily. Provides full text access to journals and selected books published by Springer.

Use the following resources to help you in your research, reporting, and writing.

The Associated Press Stylebook 2015 by Associated Press Staff
ISBN: 0465062946
Publication Date: 2015-07-14
The style of the Associated Press is the gold standard for news writing. With The AP Stylebook in hand, you can learn how to write and edit with the clarity and professionalism for which they are famous. Fully revised and updated. In Library Use Only.

Journalist's Resource
Based at Harvard’s Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy, the Journalist’s Resource project examines news topics through a research lens. We surface scholarly materials that may be relevant to media practitioners, bloggers, educators, students and general readers. Our philosophy is that peer-reviewed research studies can, at the very least, help anchor journalists as they navigate difficult terrain and competing claims.
Freedom of Information Act
Since 1967, the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) has provided the public the right to request access to records from any federal agency. It is often described as the law that keeps citizens in the know about their government. Federal agencies are required to disclose any information requested under the FOIA unless it falls under one of nine exemptions which protect interests such as personal privacy, national security, and law enforcement.
ProfNet
ProfNet, a service of PR Newswire, has been connecting journalists with expert sources since 1992. With access more than 14,000 public relations professionals -- and the hundreds of thousands of experts they represent -- ProfNet makes expert sourcing quick and easy.ProfNet offers several services to help you connect with the sources you need -- at no charge. As with all of PR Newswire's services for journalists, ProfNet is free for media professionals.
Journalist's Toolbox
Society of Professional Journalists provides news about internet tools for journalists covering stories in the field.
Records Project
The Records Project is an online community dedicated to building the largest, free public records encyclopedia.
United States Court Locator
Search by ZIP Code or city and state, using the state's two-letter postal code (e.g. Lincoln, NE), to find nearby court locations in your district or circuit. Or you may view all court website links grouped by state.
Reporting and Public Records Tutorials
Tutorials by UC Berkley on pulling public records for use in reporting.

Use the following websites to help fact check your stories. Remember when using other's research and stories as sources to properly attribute credit.

American Press Institute Fact Checker
The American Press Institute conducts research, training, convenes thought leaders and creates tools to help chart a path ahead for journalism in the 21st century. The Press Institute is an educational non-advocacy 501(c)3 nonprofit organization affiliated with the Newspaper Association of America. It aims to help the news media, especially local publishers and newspaper media, advance in the digital age.
Center for Public Integrity
About the Center for Public Integrity
The Center for Public Integrity was founded in 1989 by Charles Lewis. We are one of the country's oldest and largest nonpartisan, nonprofit investigative news organizations. Our mission: To serve democracy by revealing abuses of power, corruption and betrayal of public trust by powerful public and private institutions, using the tools of investigative journalism.
Duke Reporter's Lab
The Reporters’ Lab explores new forms of journalism, including: Fact-checking, which is growing around the world, empowering democracies and holding governments accountable. Structured Journalism, which creates new forms of storytelling and beat reporting.
Fact Check
A nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics. Monitors the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of TV ads, debates, speeches, interviews and news releases.
NYT - 2016 Election Fact Checker
Fact checks of the 2016 election, candidates, parties, and other players.
Open Secrets
Nonpartisan, independent and nonprofit, the Center for Responsive Politics is the nation's premier research group tracking money in U.S. politics and its effect on elections and public policy.
PolitiFact Truth-O-Meter
PolitiFact is a project of the Tampa Bay Times and its partners to help you find the truth in politics. Every day, reporters and researchers from PolitiFact and its partner news organization examine statements by members of Congress, state legislators, governors, mayors, the president, cabinet secretaries, lobbyists, people who testify before Congress and anyone else who speaks up in American politics. We research their statements and then rate the accuracy on our Truth-O-Meter – True, Mostly True, Half True, Mostly False and False. The most ridiculous falsehoods get our lowest rating, Pants on Fire.
PR Watch
The Center for Media and Democracy is a national watchdog group that conducts in-depth investigations into corruption and the undue influence of corporations on media and democracy. The findings of CMD's investigative journalism are regularly cited by the leading national and state newspapers in the U.S., including the New York Times, the Guardian, and the Washington Post. CMD's reporting is credited by news shows on major broadcast stations including HBO, Showtime, PBS, NBC, CBS, and others, and has also been featured on in-depth news programs, such as Moyers & Company, Democracy Now, and the Thom Hartmann Show, as well as NPR and other public broadcasting agencies, such as the BBC and CBC.
Vote Smart
Vote Smart's mission is to provide free, factual, unbiased information on candidates and elected officials to all Americans.
The Washington Post - Fact Checker
The purpose of this Web site, and an accompanying column in the Sunday print edition of The Washington Post, is to “truth squad” the statements of political figures regarding issues of great importance, be they national, international or local.
Breaking News Consumer's Handbooks
WNYC's radio program & podcast On the Media regularly presents the Breaking News Consumer's Handbook. The Handbook covers different types of breaking news events.
Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers
The web is a unique terrain, substantially different from print materials. Yet, too often attempts at teaching information literacy for the web do not take into account both the web’s unique challenges and its unique affordances. This free, open-access textbook is a practical guide for the student fact-checker. It supplements generic information literacy with the specific web-based techniques that can get you closer to the truth on the web more quickly.

Use the following websites to find federal, state, county, and city information.

APL Guide on Austin and Travis County Govt Websites
Austin Public Library's guide to the city of Austin and Travis County government \websites.
Congress.gov
Congress.gov is the official website for U.S. federal legislative information. The site provides access to accurate, timely, and complete legislative information for Members of Congress, legislative agencies, and the public. It is presented by the Library of Congress (LOC) using data from the Office of the Clerk of the U.S. House of Representatives, the Office of the Secretary of the Senate, the Government Publishing Office, Congressional Budget Office, and the LOC's Congressional Research Service.
Congressional Budget Office
Since 1975, CBO has produced independent analyses of budgetary and economic issues to support the Congressional budget process. Each year, the agency’s economists and budget analysts produce dozens of reports and hundreds of cost estimates for proposed legislation. CBO is strictly nonpartisan; conducts objective, impartial analysis; and hires its employees solely on the basis of professional competence without regard to political affiliation. CBO does not make policy recommendations, and each report and cost estimate summarizes the methodology underlying the analysis.
FDsys
Government Publishing Office website provides free online access to official publications from all three branches of the Federal Government.
FedStats
FedStats, which has been available to the public since 1997, provides access to the full range of official statistical information produced by the Federal Government without having to know in advance which Federal agency produces which particular statistic. With convenient searching and linking capablilties to more than 100 agencies that provide data and trend information on such topics as economic and population trends, crime, education, health care, aviation safety, energy use, farm production and more, FedStats is your one location for access to the full breadth of Federal statistical information.
Texas.gov
The official website for the State of Texas; information, services, and public servants are included.
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts
The Comptroller manages the state’s finances, acting as tax collector, chief accountant, chief revenue estimator and chief treasurer for all of state government. This site provides budgetary information for the State of Texas.
Texas Department of Agriculture
Provides agriculture resources and information for the state of Texas.
Texas Education Agency
This site provides primary and secondary education resources and information for the state of Texas.
Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board
Provides state education information.
Texas Legislature Online
This site allows the public to search Texas legislative documents. It also has information about the Texas House and Texas Senate (their members, committees, etc.).
Texas Records and Information Locator
This site is a directory resource. Every Texas state agency includes a link provides the departmental website, contact information, addresses, phone numbers and links to enabling legislation for that agency.
Texas State Library and Archives Catalog
This catalog contains the holdings of two state agencies. In addition to the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, the holdings of the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality are included. Not all items owned by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission prior to 1976 will be listed in this catalog.

Other UT Libraries Research Guides you may find helpful.

Finding News
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Journalism & Media
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Communication Studies
by Meryl Brodsky Last Updated Apr 28, 2025 809 views this year
Education Research
by Casey Ruegger Last Updated Jun 2, 2025 1881 views this year

Here are links to other helpful websites and support resources for journalists, educators, and fact-checkers.

Berkman Klein Center
The Berkman Klein Center's mission is to explore and understand cyberspace; to study its development, dynamics, norms, and standards; and to assess the need or lack thereof for laws and sanctions.
Chronicling America - LOC
Search America's historic newspaper pages from 1836-1922 or use the U.S. Newspaper Directory to find information about American newspapers published between 1690-present. Chronicling America is sponsored jointly by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress.
Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma
The Dart Center for Journalism and Trauma, a project of the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism, is dedicated to informed, innovative and ethical news reporting on violence, conflict and tragedy. Whether the topic is street crime, family violence, natural disaster, war or human rights, effective news reporting on traumatic events demands knowledge, skill and support. The Dart Center provides journalists around the world with the resources necessary to meet this challenge, drawing on a global, interdisciplinary network of news professionals, mental health experts, educators and researchers.
Google Newspaper Archive
Knight Center for Journalism in the Americas
The Knight Center for Journalism at the University of Texas at Austin is a professional training and outreach program for journalists in Latin America and the Caribbean. Our training programs have benefited thousands of journalists and journalism professors throughout the Americas.
NewspaperCat
The Catalog of Digital Historical Newspapers (NewspaperCat) is a tool that facilitates the discovery of online digitized historical newspaper content from newspapers published in the United States and the Caribbean. NewspaperCat was funded by a grant from the George A. Smathers Libraries.
Poynter Institute
The Poynter Institute is a global leader in journalism. It is the world’s leading instructor, innovator, convener and resource for anyone who aspires to engage and inform citizens in 21st Century democracies. Educational resources for ethical and responsible research in journalism and media.
Pulitzer Prizes
Honoring excellence in journalism and the arts since 1917.

Here are a few resources to find stock footage and audio clips. Please remember to check for copyright clearance, creative commons, and permission to post.

American History In Video
Video titles spanning a range of subject areas including anthropology, business, counseling, film, health, history, music, and more. Top collections include: 60 MINUTES / CBS, PBS, BBC, NBC, Intelecom, Insight Media, Microtraining, Filmakers Library, Envision, Inc., Stanley Milgram, Dallas Telecourses, Davidson Films, VEA, Bloomberg, The Open University, and Annenberg Learner.
Users may also make isolated clips from the videos and save them in a free account available for registration set up within the database.
Internet Archive
Unlimited users.
Updated daily. A digital library of Internet sites and other cultural artifacts that exist in digital form. Includes texts, audio, moving images, software, and archived web pages. Internet Archive's Wayback Machine has archived over 150 billion web pages from 1996 to the current year.
Nexis Uni
Unlimited users.
Updated continually. Nexis Uni™ features more than 15,000 news, business and legal sources from LexisNexis®—including U.S. Supreme Court decisions dating back to 1790—with an interface that offers discovery across all content types, personalization features such as Alerts and saved searches and a collaborative workspace with shared folders and annotated documents.
Vanderbilt Television News Archive
Unlimited users.
Updated daily. Provides a searchable archive of abstracts of news broadcasts from 1968 to present (ABC, CBS, NBC), 1995 to present (CNN), and selected content from PBS and FOX News. Also includes more than 9,000 hours of special news-related programming including ABC's Nightline since 1989. These special reports and periodic news broadcasts cover presidential press conferences and political campaign coverage, and national and international events such as the Watergate hearings, the plight of American hostages in Iran, the Persian Gulf war, and the terrorist attack on the United States on September 11, 2001
See Additional Info section for information on requesting loans from the collection.
Note: The Archive offers video streams that are duplications of entire broadcasts. Broadcasts from CNN and NBC can be streamed; broadcasts from all sources, including ABC, CBS, and Fox, can be loaned and downloaded in MP4 format after creating an account and paying a duplication fee ($17 per clip + a $10 processing fee). See Request a Loan from the Collection for more information.

BBC News - Historic Broadcasts
This section of the Radio Newsroom website contains recordings of some of the most important news events that have occurred since the BBC began broadcasting regular bulletins in 1922.
C-Span Video Library
The C-SPAN Video Library began within the Purdue University School of Liberal Arts in 1987 under the leadership of Dr. Robert X. Browning, who sought a way to archive and index the thousands of hours of congressional coverage produced by the network every year. The project quickly became one of the most comprehensive video archives of governmental and political content, and C-SPAN assumed responsibility for the archival operations in July 1998.
Footage.net
Footage.net is the world’s largest online aggregator of stock footage databases, providing serious footage researchers with free access to the most comprehensive roster of stock, archival and news footage indexes online.
Link TV
Link TV broadcasts programs that engage, educate and activate viewers to become involved in the world. Founded in 1999, Link TV provides a unique perspective on international news, current events, and diverse cultures, presenting issues not often covered in the US media. We connect American viewers with people at the heart of breaking events, organizations in the forefront of social change and the cultures of an increasingly global community.
Museum of Broadcast Communications
The mission of The Museum of Broadcast Communications (MBC) is to collect, preserve, and present historic and contemporary radio and television content as well as educate, inform, and entertain the public through its archives, public programs, screenings, exhibits, publications, and online access to its resources.

Below are a sampling of professional organizations related to print and broadcast journalism, writing, and reporting. Organizations and associations often have codes of ethics or policies for their members to follow.