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JOHN CABOT UNIVERSITY
COURSE CODE: "DJRN 352"
COURSE NAME: "Fact Checking for the Newsroom"
SEMESTER & YEAR:
Spring 2026
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SYLLABUS
INSTRUCTOR:
John Christopher Fiegener
EMAIL: [email protected]
HOURS:
TTH 3:00 PM 4:15 PM
TOTAL NO. OF CONTACT HOURS:
45
CREDITS:
3
PREREQUISITES:
Prerequisites: COM 221 or permission of the instructor
OFFICE HOURS:
by appointment
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COURSE DESCRIPTION:
The course introduces students to the work of fact-checking in journalism designed to identify and avoid fake news, deepfakes, misinformation, and disinformation and to provide journalists and audiences information to debunk or prebunk false and harmful claims and narratives. Students will learn to use online tools to verify the accuracy and provenance of third party audio visual content that becomes part of a news story, and the credibility of claims from newsmakers and social media users that can drive news coverage. The course will teach strategies to counter a growing and diverse threat from high-quality and low-cost AI generated disinformation and also leverage the use of AI tools to perform searches, identify patterns, and translate, summarize, and categorize information. Students will discuss ethical, legal and editorial considerations of fact checking for the newsroom and how to support the credibility of news operations and share content verification outcomes with a public audience.
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SUMMARY OF COURSE CONTENT:
The course introduces students to fact-checking in journalism, aimed at identifying and preventing fake news, deepfakes, misinformation, and disinformation, and providing journalists and audiences with information to debunk or prebunk false and harmful claims and narratives. Students will learn to use online tools to verify the accuracy and origin of third-party audiovisual content that becomes part of a news story, as well as the credibility of claims from newsmakers and social media users that can influence news coverage.
The course will teach strategies to counter a growing and diverse threat from high-quality and low-cost AI-generated disinformation and leverage AI tools to perform searches, identify patterns, translate, summarize, and categorize information. Students will discuss the ethical, legal, and editorial considerations of fact-checking for the newsroom, as well as how to support the credibility of news operations and share content verification outcomes with a public audience.
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LEARNING OUTCOMES:
- Learn the essentials of writing fact checks for use in the newsroom and for public consumption
- Understand the basic editorial processes in newsrooms and across public media, and social media sites, including X and TikTok
- Identify when a fact check is required, learn how to examine text, audio, images and graphics for verifiable content.
- Understand basic factors that push false facts and harmful narratives, including geopolitical competition, partisan politics, and conspiratorial mindsets
- Proficiently use OSINT tools and techniques to detect AI-generated material, geolocate, verify the accuracy, dateline, and provenance of claims, research quotes, figures, and statistics, access public records from companies and governments, and identify subject history.
- Understand the ethical reasons and boundaries for using AI tools in fact-checking, and be aware of the legal limits to information searches.
- Recognize how fact-checking supports various types of news gathering, from long-form investigations to breaking news, and can be used for topics in health, finance, business, security, and politics.
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TEXTBOOK:
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REQUIRED RESERVED READING:
RECOMMENDED RESERVED READING:
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GRADING POLICY
-ASSESSMENT METHODS:
| Assignment | Guidelines | Weight |
| Fact Checks, use of OSINT tools | | 30% |
| Written fact check samples | | 20% |
| Research Project | | 30% |
| Attendance and Participation | | 20% |
-ASSESSMENT CRITERIA:
AWork of this quality directly addresses the question or problem raised and provides a coherent argument displaying an extensive knowledge of relevant information or content. This type of work demonstrates the ability to critically evaluate concepts and theory and has an element of novelty and originality. There is clear evidence of a significant amount of reading beyond that required for the course.
BThis is highly competent level of performance and directly addresses the question or problem raised.There is a demonstration of some ability to critically evaluatetheory and concepts and relate them to practice. Discussions reflect the student’s own arguments and are not simply a repetition of standard lecture andreference material. The work does not suffer from any major errors or omissions and provides evidence of reading beyond the required assignments.
CThis is an acceptable level of performance and provides answers that are clear but limited, reflecting the information offered in the lectures and reference readings.
DThis level of performances demonstrates that the student lacks a coherent grasp of the material.Important information is omitted and irrelevant points included.In effect, the student has barely done enough to persuade the instructor that s/he should not fail.
FThis work fails to show any knowledge or understanding of the issues raised in the question. Most of the material in the answer is irrelevant.
-ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS:
ATTENDANCE REQUIREMENTS AND EXAMINATION POLICY
You cannot make-up a major exam (midterm or final) without the permission of the Dean’s Office. The Dean’s Office will grant such permission only when the absence was caused by a serious impediment, such as a documented illness, hospitalization or death in the immediate family (in which you must attend the funeral) or other situations of similar gravity. Absences due to other meaningful conflicts, such as job interviews, family celebrations, travel difficulties, student misunderstandings or personal convenience, will not be excused. Students who will be absent from a major exam must notify the Dean’s Office prior to that exam. Absences from class due to the observance of a religious holiday will normally be excused. Individual students who will have to miss class to observe a religious holiday should notify the instructor by the end of the Add/Drop period to make prior arrangements for making up any work that will be missed. The final exam period runs until ____________
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ACADEMIC HONESTY
As stated in the university catalog, any student who commits an act of academic
dishonesty will receive a failing grade on the work in which the dishonesty occurred.
In addition, acts of academic dishonesty, irrespective of the weight of the assignment,
may result in the student receiving a failing grade in the course. Instances of
academic dishonesty will be reported to the Dean of Academic Affairs. A student
who is reported twice for academic dishonesty is subject to summary dismissal from
the University. In such a case, the Academic Council will then make a recommendation
to the President, who will make the final decision.
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STUDENTS WITH LEARNING OR OTHER DISABILITIES
John Cabot University does not discriminate on the basis of disability or handicap.
Students with approved accommodations must inform their professors at the beginning
of the term. Please see the website for the complete policy.
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SCHEDULE
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Week 1
Overview:
- Why fact checkers matter in the newsroom?
- Is journalistic fact-checking a one-size-fits-all approach?
- What triggers a fact check and what are ethical, legal and editorial questions to consider?
- How to be transparent, fair, nonpartisan, and open in the search for factual information.
- What resources are available to fact-checkers?
- What happens if misinformation is left unchecked?
- How can Artificial intelligence tools assist fact-checking?
Discuss: Outline study topics and methods, discuss research projects.
Reading:
Fact-checkers and the news media: A Nordic perspective on propaganda
Authors: John Grönvall
Article 2023
in Nordic Journal of Media Studies v5 n1 (20230621): 134-153
Studying the Downstream Effects of Fact-Checking on Social Media: Experiments on Correction Formats, Belief Accuracy, and Media Trust
Authors: Ingrid Bachmann, Sebastián Valenzuela
Article 2023
in Social Media + Society v9 n2 (202304)
Journalism and Fact-Checking Technologies: Understanding User Needs
Authors: Laurence Dierickx
Downloadable Article 2023
in communication +1 v10 n1 (20231201)
Week 2
A Mindset
- How to view the role of fact checking in the newsroom?
- How to view the purveyor of mis and disinformation?
- How to think about the work of verification?
- How to recognize the different stages of fact-checking?
- How to think about open-source information research?
Reading:
What To Do About Conspiracy Theories? : Academic Entanglements in Conflicts Over Truths.
Authors: Elżbieta Drążkiewicz, Jaron Harambam
eBook 2024 First edition.
Routledge, 2024.
How Disinformation Reshaped the Relationship between Journalism and Media and Information Literacy (MIL): Old and New Perspectives Revisited
Author: Divina Frau-Meigs
Digital Journalism v10 n5 (20220528): 912-922
Database: Taylor and Francis Journals
Week 3
The Claims
- How can you identify the central claim in media content?
- How can you tell the difference between fact, opinion, and satire?
- What verdicts are given to claims?
- What defines a harmful narrative?
- What drives purveyors of harmful, false, and misleading claims?
- Is there a way to prevent repeat offenders?
Guest: Journalist Fact Checker shares experience and discusses issues. In person or via teleconference. Name tba
Reading:
Disinformation debunked : building resilience through media and information literacy
Authors: Divina Frau-Meigs(Editor) Nicoleta Corbu(Editor)
eBook 2024
Abingdon, Oxon ; New York : Routledge, 2024.
Week 4
Strategizing
- What techniques and strategies are most effective in various fact-checking scenarios?
- How to identify and evaluate claims for verification and how to present fact-checked verdicts?
- How to break down and prioritize multiple claims in a single news event?
- Is the false claim going viral, topical, and generating public interest?
- What is the extent of a piece of disinformation, and how can we evaluate its impact?
- Is one claim more harmful than another?
- Is it better to pre bunk or debunk a false and harmful narrative?
Discuss and decide term project topics.
Reading:
Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checker ...and other people who care about facts.
Author: Mike Caulfield
Creative Commons Attribution
@ pressbooks.pub/webliteracy/
Week 5
Tools and Techniques I
- What online tools can be used to verify the accuracy of a claim?
- How to verify claim provenance, source credibility, and reliability?
- Why is it important to verify online content like text, images, and videos?
- How and why to use search engines, reverse image search, geolocating, and metadata extraction tools?
Guest: OSINT operator to provide an overview of the tools and answer questions. Name tba
Reading:
The Chicago Guide to Fact-Checking, Second Edition
Authors: Brooke Borel
eBook 2023
Chicago : University of Chicago Press, [2023]
Evaluating digital sources in journalism : an introduction to digital source criticism
Authors: Ståle Grut
eBook 2024
Abingdon, Oxon ; New York, NY : Routledge, 2024.
Week 6
Tools and Techniques II
- When and how should Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) tools be utilized?
- Where to find them?
- Can AI tools detect AI generated content?
- How can you identify AI-generated content?
- How to investigate social media platforms
- How and why to protect your identity as a fact checker?
Reading:
The Challenges of Open Source Journalism
Authors: Rayya Roumanos, Olivier Le Deuff
Article 2022
in Multitudes v89 n4 (20221219): 67
Week 7
Tools and Techniques III
- How does fact-checking enhance investigative reporting?
- When is a fact check appropriate in news reporting?
- Why and how should you investigate the reputation of authors, publishers, and sources of claims?
- How do you research quotes, figures, and statistics?
- How can I access company and government public records?
- How can you verify and identify historical records?
- How do you review research networks, studies, and authors?
Case studies: Investigate claims on social media. Find a claim on X, TikTok or Instagram, investigate it, write a verdict.
Reading:
Disinformation debunked : building resilience through media and information literacy
Authors: Divina Frau-Meigs(Editor) Nicoleta Corbu(Editor)
eBook 2024
Abingdon, Oxon ; New York : Routledge, 2024.
Week 8
AI Assisted fact checking
- AI-assisted searches, pattern identification, translation, transcription and summarization.
- AI fact-checking tools and websites
- AI helps detect plagiarism and AI-created content
- AI-generated news articles
- AI-generated images, photos, video, sound, and graphics
- AI-based algorithms
- AI impact on news content creation and delivery
- AI role in news production
- AI bias and reliability
- AI-assisted fact-checking of real-time events (speeches and live news events)
Guest: AI expert to explain how the tools work
Reading:
Guidelines on the responsible implementation of artificial intelligence systems in journalism.
Strasbourg: Council of Europe. @ https://rm.coe.int/cdmsi-2023-014-guidelines-on-the-responsible-implementation-of-artific/1680adb4c6
The ethics of artificial intelligence: principles, challenges, and opportunities
Authors: Luciano Floridi
eBook 2023
Oxford ; New York, NY : Oxford University Press , 2023.
Week 9
AI information in the news
- What is AI’s role in combating disinformation in journalism?
- What is AI’s role in making and spreading disinformation in the news?
- How do chatbots amplify false content?
- How do search platforms use AI to act on your queries?
- Do AI assisted searches require better prompting to produce better results?
- How to verify the information provided by an AI assisted search platform?
- What are emerging trends and developments in AI-assisted journalism and fact checking?
Case studies: US Midterm elections and Russia v Ukraine and NATO disinformation, Generative AI company guidelines. Write prompts to assist fact check using different AI Chatbots Chat GPT, Microsoft Co Pilot, Google Gemini and compare results
Reading:
Artificial Intelligence in the News: How AI Retools, Rationalizes, and Reshapes Journalism and the Public Arena.
Authors: Simon, F.M.
New York Columbia Journalism Review 2024.
@ https://www.cjr.org/tow_center_reports/artificial-intelligence-in-the-news.php
Week 10
Ethical and Legal considerations
- Ethics and economics of AI automation and fact-checking tools in the newsroom
- Legal limits to information searches
- Privacy and AI regulations in the EU and US
- Newsroom guardrails for the use of fact-checking and AI tools
Discuss term project updates, issues and concerns.
Reading:
Promoting responsible AI: A European perspective on the governance of artificial intelligence in media and journalism
Authors: Colin Porlezza
Article 2023
in Communications v48 n3 (20230824): 370-394
Artificial Intelligence in Automated Detection of Disinformation: A Thematic Analysis
Authors: Fátima C. Carrilho Santos
Downloadable Article 2023
in Journalism and Media v4 n43 (20230601): 679-687
Caring in an Algorithmic World: Ethical Perspectives for Designers and Developers in Building AI Algorithms to Fight Fake News.
Authors: Galit Wellner, Dmytro Mykhailov
Article 2023
in Science and engineering ethics v29 n4 (20230809): 30
Week 11
Writing fact checks
- Is the fact check meant for newsroom use?
- Should it be made public?
- Is the claim to fact check accessible or available in the public domain?
- Is it in a format that can be read and processed?
- Is there enough evidence to support a claim?
- Is there a clear verdict to be reached?
- Is there a clear reason for the verdict?
Write sample fact checks.
Week 12
Sharing content verification
- What is the most effective way to communicate a verdict to your audience?
- When is a pre-bunk an effective strategy?
- When is a debunk necessary, and when is it too late?
- How do you measure the effectiveness of a fact check?
Write a fact check on assigned claim for newsroom consumption and public consumption, explain your strategy. These will be graded
Week 13
Disinformation pushers
- What are the push factors of mis and disinformation in geopolitical competition and partisan politics?
- Who are the actors involved in state-sponsored, freelance, and professional disinformation campaigns?
- What role do conspiracy theories have in spreading false, misleading, or harmful narratives?
- Who is responsible for the increase in online disinformation?
- How does the politics of alternative realities spread false and harmful narratives?
- Is there hope for facts in post truth politics and a post factual world?
Week 14
Discuss Research Project Findings
Discuss and submit the findings of your term project
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