What puts them in a position to reliably assure you that they know what they are talking about?
How can I confirm what they are saying?
Do they cite other sources or quote other experts? Do they back up their opinions with facts and the means to verify those facts? (Or can the facts be verified through other sources?) Does their publication have a history of sound editorial judgment, verifying facts, and retracting/correcting errors?
Short for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose, the CRAAP test has been around for a long time. It was developed by librarians at the University of California, Chico Libraries.
Designed primarily to help students evaluate online resources, the SMELL test asks questions related to the Source, their Motivation, the Evidence provided, Logic, and what information might be Left out.
Berkeley Library at the University of California has produced a very good guide about Fake News. Please note that the newspaper resources on that page are not accessible to SRU students.