Source verification methodology

Systematic approaches for verifying sources, claims, and digital content in journalism and research.

Verification framework The SIFT method

S - Stop: Don't immediately share or use unverified information I - Investigate the source: Who is behind the information? F - Find better coverage: What do other reliable sources say? T - Trace claims: Find the original source of the claim

Source credibility checklist

Source evaluation template

Basic identification

[ ] Full name/organization identified
[ ] Contact information verifiable
[ ] Professional credentials checkable
[ ] Online presence consistent across platforms

Expertise assessment

[ ] Relevant expertise for the claim being made
[ ] Track record in this subject area
[ ] Recognized by peers in the field
[ ] No history of spreading misinformation

Motivation analysis

[ ] Potential conflicts of interest identified
[ ] Financial stake in the outcome?
[ ] Political or ideological motivation?
[ ] Personal grievance involved?

Corroboration

[ ] Can claims be independently verified?
[ ] Do other credible sources confirm?
[ ] Is documentary evidence available?
[ ] Are there contradicting sources?

Digital verification techniques Social media account analysis

Account verification checklist

Account age and history

Creation date (older accounts more credible)
Posting frequency and patterns
Gaps in activity (dormant then suddenly active?)
Language consistency over time

Network analysis

Follower/following ratio
Quality of followers (real accounts vs. bots)
Interaction patterns (who engages with them?)
Mutual connections with verified accounts

Content patterns

Original content vs. reshares only
Topics discussed consistently
Geographic indicators in posts
Time zone of posting activity

Red flags

Recently created account making bold claims
Sudden pivot in topics or tone
Coordinated behavior with other accounts
Stock photo profile picture
Generic bio with no specifics

Reverse image search workflow

Image verification process

Step 1: Reverse image search

Tools to use: - Google Images (images.google.com) - TinEye (tineye.com) - Yandex Images (yandex.com/images) - best for faces - Bing Visual Search

Step 2: Check metadata (EXIF)

Original capture date/time
Camera/device information
GPS coordinates (if available)
Software used to edit

Tools: - Jeffrey's EXIF Viewer (exif.regex.info) - FotoForensics (fotoforensics.com) - InVID verification plugin

Step 3: Analyze image content

Weather conditions (match reported date?)
Shadows (consistent with time of day?)
Signage/text (correct language for location?)
Architecture (matches claimed location?)
Clothing (seasonal appropriateness?)

Step 4: Find original source

Earliest appearance online
Original photographer/source
Context of first publication
Has it been used in other contexts?

Video verification

Video verification checklist

Technical analysis

[ ] Resolution consistent throughout
[ ] Audio sync matches video
[ ] No visible editing artifacts
[ ] Lighting consistent across frames
[ ] Shadows behave naturally

Content analysis

[ ] Location identifiable and verifiable
[ ] Time indicators (sun position, shadows)
[ ] Weather matches historical records
[ ] Background details consistent
[ ] People's clothing appropriate for context

Metadata check

[ ] Upload date vs. claimed event date
[ ] Original source identified
[ ] Chain of custody traceable
[ ] Multiple angles available?

Tools

InVID/WeVerify browser extension
YouTube DataViewer (citizenevidence.amnestyusa.org)
Frame-by-frame analysis tools

Document verification PDF and document analysis

Document verification steps

Metadata examination

Creation date and modification history
Author information
Software used to create
Embedded fonts and images

Visual inspection

Consistent formatting throughout
Font matching (no spliced text)
Alignment of text and images
Quality consistent across pages
Signatures appear authentic

Content verification

Dates internally consistent
Names spelled correctly throughout
Reference numbers valid
Contact information verifiable
Letterhead matches known examples

Provenance

How was document obtained?
Chain of custody documented?
Original vs. copy?
Can source provide additional context?

Building a verification trail Documentation template

Verification record

Claim being verified: [State the specific claim]

Source of claim: - Name/account: - Platform: - Date first seen: - URL (archived):

Verification steps taken:

Step 1: [Description]

Action taken:
Tool/method used:
Result:
Screenshot/evidence saved: [filename]

Step 2: [Description]

Action taken:
Tool/method used:
Result:
Screenshot/evidence saved: [filename]

[Continue for each step]

Corroborating sources: 1. [Source 1] - [What it confirms] 2. [Source 2] - [What it confirms] 3. [Source 3] - [What it confirms]

Contradicting information: 1. [Source] - [What it contradicts]

Confidence assessment: - [ ] Verified true - [ ] Likely true (high confidence) - [ ] Unverified (insufficient evidence) - [ ] Likely false (contradicting evidence) - [ ] Verified false

Reasoning: [Explain your conclusion based on evidence]

Verification completed by: Date:

Archiving evidence Web archiving best practices

Save URLs to multiple archives for redundancy

ARCHIVE_SERVICES = [ 'https://web.archive.org/save/', # Internet Archive 'https://archive.ph/', # Archive.today 'https://perma.cc/', # Perma.cc (requires account) ]

def archive_url(url: str) -> dict: """Archive URL to multiple services.""" results = {}

# Internet Archive
try:
    response = requests.get(f'https://web.archive.org/save/{url}')
    if response.status_code == 200:
        results['wayback'] = response.url
except Exception as e:
    results['wayback_error'] = str(e)

# Archive.today (requires different approach)
# ... implementation

return results

Screenshot documentation

Screenshot best practices

Full page capture: Use browser extensions for full-page screenshots
Include URL bar: Shows the source URL
Include timestamp: System clock visible or add manually
Save metadata: Note when and how captured
Multiple formats: Save as PNG (lossless) and PDF
Secure storage: Hash files and store securely

Recommended tools: - Hunchly (hunch.ly) - automatic capture and logging - Screenpresso - full page with annotations - Browser print-to-PDF - includes URL and date

Interview verification Pre-interview source check

Source background check

Public records

[ ] Professional licenses verified
[ ] Court records checked
[ ] Business registrations confirmed
[ ] Property records (if relevant)
[ ] Campaign finance records (if political)

Professional background

[ ] LinkedIn profile reviewed
[ ] Employer confirmed
[ ] Previous employers contacted
[ ] Published work reviewed
[ ] Conference appearances verified

[ ] All platforms identified
[ ] Post history reviewed
[ ] Connections/followers analyzed
[ ] Previous statements on topic
[ ] Any deleted content found?

Media appearances

[ ] Previous interviews found
[ ] Consistency with current claims
[ ] Other journalists' assessments
[ ] Any retractions or corrections?

During interview verification

Real-time verification techniques

Document requests

Ask for documentation during interview
Verify documents aren't altered
Request originals, not copies when possible
Note document condition and provenance

Specific detail probing

Ask for specific dates, names, locations
Request corroborating witnesses
Ask "How do you know that?"
Follow up on vague answers

Consistency checks

Note initial version of story
Return to key points later
Compare details across tellings
Flag inconsistencies for follow-up

Recording best practices

Get consent (check local laws)
Use reliable recording equipment
Backup recording in real-time
Note non-verbal cues separately

Verification resources Essential tools Tool Purpose URL InVID/WeVerify Video verification plugin weverify.eu TinEye Reverse image search tineye.com Wayback Machine Web archives web.archive.org CrowdTangle Social media tracking crowdtangle.com Hoaxy Claim spread visualization hoaxy.osome.iu.edu Media Bias/Fact Check Source reliability mediabiasfactcheck.com OpenCorporates Company records opencorporates.com OCCRP Aleph Document search aleph.occrp.org Training resources First Draft News (firstdraftnews.org) Bellingcat guides (bellingcat.com/resources) Google News Initiative (newsinitiative.withgoogle.com) Verification Handbook (verificationhandbook.com) SPJ ethics resources (spj.org/ethics)

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