pelkoja:

1. make sure what you’re reading is sourced, and the source links work, and the sources are reliable, like from a heavily researched paper/report or something. just because something fits your opinion doesn’t mean it’s true. you need to make sure you get accurate information.

2. make sure what you’re reading isn’t outdated, UNLESS you are talking about a different time period than now.

3. if you’re watching a documentary, check ratings and reviews first. a lot of people will point it out when there’s factually correct information.

4. if you’re watching something like a youtube video, look up statistics/research done outside the video if it isn’t sourced. for example, I watched a video on income inequality in america. I looked up the statistics used after, and they were from an accurate report sourced all over the place.

5. make sure the information you’re getting isn’t too biased, UNLESS you’re interested in hearing a certain perspective. for example, right leaning and left leaning think tanks are going to analyze or present information differently. look up the organization and what it supports.

6. look outside the box instead of sticking to the popular narrative. everyone likes to think their country is propaganda free, but literally every country uses propaganda.

that’s basically the guidelines I use when researching! I hope this helps :)