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Subject Guide: Communication, Journalism, and Public Relations

This guide contains information about sources of interest for the subjects taught in the School of Communication and Journalism.

(Thanks to Karen Southwell of FAMU for this box)

Fact Checking

Accuracy in Media
Accuracy In Media is a non-profit, grassroots citizens watchdog of the news media that critiques botched and bungled news stories and sets the record straight on important issues that have received slanted coverage.

The Annenberg Public Policy Center
A nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of confusion and deception in U.S. politics.

Center for Media and Democracy
A non-profit investigative reporting group that focuses on exposing corporate spin and government propaganda.

Duke Reporters' Lab
The Duke Reporters’ Lab is a project of the DeWitt Wallace Center for Media & Democracy at the Sanford School of Public Policy.
The Reporters’ Lab maintains a database of global fact-checking sites. You can use the map to explore sites around the world or use the menu below.

CUNY Graduate School of Journalism - Fact Checking
The City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism, Research Guide on Fact Checking

Identify and Avoid Fake News
Indiana University East Library's Research Guide on how to identify and avoid fake news. Aimed at non-journalists but still a good resource.

FactCheck.org
A project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center

PolitiFact
Editors and journalists monitor the factual accuracy of what is said by major U.S. political players in the form of debates, speeches, news releases, ads, and more.

SourceWatch
"profiles the activities of front groups, PR spinners, industry-friendly experts, industry-funded organizations, and think tanks trying to manipulate public opinion on behalf of corporations or government."

Verification Junkie
A growing directory of tools for verifying, fact checking and assessing the validity of eyewitness reports and user generated content online.

Verification handbook

Verification handbook for investigative reporting


Washington Post Fact Checker
An award-winning fact checking team of journalists checks the statements of political figures regarding issues of great importance, be they national, international or local.

Minnesota Newspapers from the Library of Congress's "Chronicling America"
North Dakota Newspapers from the Library of Congress's "Chronicling America"

Public Opinion Polls
ABC News Polls
CBS News Polls
Gallup Polls
Harris Polls Archive
Marist Poll
Pew Research Center
Quinnipiac University/Poll

Selected Web Resources
2007 Economic Census
Profiles the US economy every 5 years, from the national to the local level. The report will present national statistics for every sector and subsector of the economy. Economic Census data from 1997 and later is also available through American FactFinder.
Bureau of Labor Statistics
Features numerous on-line publications, such as The Monthly Labor Review, Compensation and Working Conditions Online, Regional Reports, and many more. It provides The Consumer Price Index and many other statistics resources.
CensusScope: Census 2000 Data, Charts, Maps, and Rankings
Data.gov
Government statistics; aggregates at the location level, not the spreadsheet level, in most cases.
Economics & Statistics Administration
Features Economic Indicators such as reports on durable goods, gross domestic product, inventories, etc.
EEOC Statistics on Equal Employment Opportunity
From U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.
Explore Census Data
Access data and digital content from the U.S. Census Bureau. Replaces American Fact Finder, decommissioned in 2020.
IMF - International Financial Statistics
Minnesota Campus
Minnesota Compass is a social indicators project that measures progress in our state and its communities. Led by Wilder Research, Minnesota Compass provides nonpartisan, credible information and tracks trends in topic areas such as education, economy, workforce, health, housing, and a host of others.
North Dakota Compass
North Dakota Compass is a social indicators project that measures progress in our state, its eight regions, 53 counties, four Native American reservations, and larger cities. Compass tracks trends in topic areas such as children and youth, economy, health, housing, and workforce (with more currently being developed). It inspires people to take action to improve our economic vitality and quality of life.
Occupational Employment Statistics
Estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual States, and for metropolitan areas; national occupational estimates for specific industries are also available.
Personal Income
Includes local and state data. From Bureau of Economic Analysis.
Zip Code Demographics