Journalists are having to respond quickly to information from online sources - and to seek information online. But how do you avoid being hoaxed? And how can you find trustworthy information? Being able to verify online information is a skill that can set you apart in a competitive job market.

***We are currently in the process of scheduling the next run of this course - if you're interested in attending, or in running this course in-house, please contact Ed Martin at ed at journalism.co.uk or by calling 01273 384 293***

Course tutor: Paul Bradshaw

Date: Date TBC
Time: 10:00-17:00
Venue: Royal Society of Medicine, London W1
Number of places: 8 max
Cost: £250 + VAT

This course is aimed at journalists and editors who want to be able to quickly check the veracity of information supplied online - and beat their rivals in accessing sources who can give them more.

This course will cover:

• How to verify information from online sources
• Sources of data
• Tips and tricks in looking at multimedia
• Using context to build a picture of trust
• The data trail: how code can tip you off
• Free and low-cost tools to analyse and verify multimedia
• Where to find sources to confirm the stories - and how
• Editorial planning for UGC

You will leave with an understanding of:

• How to identify when and where multimedia footage was created - and if it has been manipulated
• How hoaxes are designed - and how to avoid being hoaxed
• Search engine optimisation and debunking rumours
• How to verify a source's identity
• How to use advanced search techniques and tools to find sources

About Paul Bradshaw

Paul Bradshaw is Visiting Professor in online journalism at City University London and Course Leader of the MA in Online Journalism at Birmingham City University. He is best known as the publisher of the Online Journalism Blog and is also the founder of the investigative journalism crowdsourcing site Help Me Investigate, which was shortlisted in 2010 for Multimedia Publisher of the Year. 

In 2010 Paul was listed on both Journalism.co.uk's list of leading innovators in media, and the US Poynter Institute's list of the 35 most influential people in social media. His ‘Model for the 21st Century Newsroom’ and ‘BASIC Principles of Online Journalism’ series have formed the basis for newsroom operations and journalism education around the world, where they have been translated into a number of languages. 

In addition to teaching and writing, Paul acts as a consultant and trainer to a number of organisations on social media and data journalism. You can find him on Twitter @paulbradshaw.