BREAKING NEWS: An asteroid the size of the Empire State Building is headed straight for Earth! Dramatic reports like this one pop up on news websites and social media all day. Most are hoaxes, but it can be hard to tell the difference between responsible reporting and stories that bend, stretch, or completely make up the truth. It can be done if you take steps to carefully consider your news sources. Here are some ways to determine how trustworthy a news story is

Check out two or three different news outlets to determine if the information in their articles match. If they don't, you'll know which details to research further.

Find out if the reporter works for a reputable organization, like a major newspaper.

Look up the story on a fact-checking website. A local librarian can suggest a reliable one.​