Recommended reading for fact-checkers

Whether you are thinking of adding fact-checking to your arsenal of services, or you’re just starting your journey as a fact-checker, here’s a short list of resources and recommended reading.

The Chicago Guide To Fact-Checking (Second Edition), by Brooke Borel. A handy handbook on how to approach fact-checking, from an experienced fact-checker.

“Checkpoints,” by John McPhee. Published in The New Yorker. This magazine story takes a deep dive into the fact-checking department at The New Yorker and showcases the lengths a checker may go to confirm a fact.

The Lifespan of a Fact, by John D’Agata and Jim Fingal. Jim Fingal is hired to fact-check John D’Agata’s story. The book is a discussion between D’Agata and Fingal during the fact-checking process. (This was later adapted to a Broadway play starring Daniel Radcliffe.)

“The Pocket Guide to Bullshit Prevention,” by Michelle Nijhuis. Published in The Last Word on Nothing. A handy, five-step process to staying skeptical.