What is news? The obvious answer is 'anything about which people are talking....something new.' While this might be true in a general sense, it's not true when discussing valid sources for a project or academic paper. News that can be used as research has a very different definition.

Good news sources abide by a code of ethics which should include at a minimum:

• Accuracy
• Fairness
• Completeness
• Honesty
• Independence
• Impartiality
• Transparency
• Accountability
• Respect
• Excellence

There are several qualities that this type of news must have. Here is a concise list taken from FactCheck.org, a reputable, non-partisan (no political party affiliation) website:

1.Consider the source. Does the source have a particular bias? Is it fair? Articles can express opinions, but they must be backed up with facts. Some supposed 'news' sites write articles that look real, but they have no real facts in them. ANONYMOUS sources are not usually considered credible. Some exceptions are given to this rule when a legitimate news organization, like the New York Times, attributes a fact to a 'source high in the administration' or to 'a spokesman for law enforcement', or something like that. Sometimes sources in these positions cannot give their names, but are giving legitimate information. However, a named source is always much more valuable and believeable.

2.Read beyond the headline. Sometimes sites will use what's called Clickbait in their headlines. This is where they write something inflammatory or shocking just to get clicks to the website. Don't believe what the headlines say unless you check further.

3.Check the author. Does the author have a specific opinion or bias? It's okay if he or she does, but you should know that it might color the tone of the article.

4.Check the date. You'd be surprised at how many people share articles that are from years ago and make it sound as if it's current.

5. Is it some kind of joke? Some sites, like The Onion, or the Andy Borowitz column in The New Yorker magazine are called satire or satirists. They are writing exaggerated pieces that may look real, but they are not. If something sounds really crazy, check to see if it's really satire.

6.Check your biases. Do you only look for news that supports your point of view? Try to look at the other side. Find out which sites are neutral, which sites lean conservative and which sites lean liberal.

7.Consult the experts. All news sources are not created equal. There are some (the New York Times, Washington Post, most daily newspapers in metropolitan areas, Time Magazine, the New Yorker, to name a few) that hire professional reporters to find information and share it. By being professional and hiring those who know how to verify facts, these sources gain credibility. Rely on them. These are NOT equal to your uncle's blog or a random site trying to find evidence of Bigfoot.

8. Opinions are not facts. If someone, especially a politician, says or writes something, that does not automatically make it true.

You can read the entire article on deciding the validity of sources at FactCheck.org