Read extensively all the results you find It is important to read all findings and then narrow down to what suits your fact-check. Find various experts Do not rely on one expert. Contact various experts and choose the most credible. GUIDE TO FACT-CHECKING AND INFORMATION VERIFICATION FACT-CHECKING STEPS Fact-checking is a systematic process, that follows logical steps to verify whether a claim is true or false. Step 1: Verify the claim and identify the original source Verify the correct wording of the claim – get hold of the primary source. This can be a video, audio, image or text and ask yourself the following questions: 1) Who made the claim? 2) Are they an expert in the field? 3) Is there anything that makes you doubt what they are talking about? 4) What is their motive for making the claim? 5) Could they benefit from it? Step 2: Define the terms and concepts within the claim Never assume you know what someone meant- ask them exactly what they were referring to. Always try to understand and explain each concept in a statement – someone working in a specific field can help in this regard. For example, a claim can state that – children in Africa were highly affected by Covid-19 Children – which age ranges? Africa – which countries? Africa is not a country. 14