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Fact check: What is the référence for this website
Executive Summary
The user asked, "What is the référence for this website?" If the intent is to identify the site and how to cite it, the website appears to be a fact‑checking platform like Snopes, and the correct approach is to treat it as a webpage when referencing in academic or professional work. For practical citation formats, follow standard web‑source rules (author or organization, publication date, article title, site name, URL) and consult APA guidance for webpages and online newspaper articles for precise formatting [1] [2] [3].
1. What the site appears to be and why that matters
The visible metadata and content profile indicate the site functions as a fact‑checking and reference resource, similar in scope to platforms that publish investigative explainers, verifications, and corrections, which affects citation and credibility considerations [1]. Fact‑checking sites operate at the intersection of journalism and reference work, meaning they can be both a primary source for claims about the site’s output and a secondary source for verifying external claims; this dual role requires clarity in attribution when citing their pages. Evaluators should note organizational authorship and editorial practices because the credibility of a fact‑check depends on transparency about sources and methodology [4] [5].
2. How dictionaries and glossaries define 'website' and why it matters for citation
Authoritative definitions frame a website as a collection of web pages under a single domain managed by an organization or person, which determines what element to treat as the work to cite—the site as a whole or a specific page or article [6] [7]. Citation standards use this notion to decide whether to list an author, an organization, or the site name; for example, when no individual author is named, the organization hosting the page becomes the author in many styles. Understanding the structural definition helps avoid misattribution and supports correct bibliographic elements such as publisher and site title [8] [7].
3. The practical citation building blocks you should collect
For any webpage citation gather author (or corporate author), publication or last‑updated date, page/article title, website name, and URL; if available, also capture a DOI, section title, or retrieval date for changeable content [2]. If the page is a news‑style article, include the newspaper or outlet and format the date and title per style rules; for fact checks, include the verdict label or claim being assessed when relevant. These are the elements APA and other styles require to make the reference useful and verifiable for readers, enabling them to retrieve the exact page cited [3] [9].
4. Specific guidance from APA for citing webpages and news articles
APA guidance treats web pages and online news pieces with similar core elements but emphasizes author and date positions, using organization names when no individual author exists and including full URLs without a retrieval date unless content is likely to change [2]. For online newspaper content APA examples show author, date (year, month day), title, site name, and URL; for organizational web content, list the organization as author. If the fact‑check lacks a date, APA recommends using “n.d.” and making a clear note in the in‑text citation to help readers locate the item [3] [9].
5. Evaluating credibility beyond the citation: cross‑checking and bias tools
Citing correctly does not substitute for judging reliability; use cross‑verification and media‑evaluation tools to assess conflicts of interest, methodology transparency, and political or commercial bias—resources like Ad Fontes Media and library guidance on fact‑checking list useful frameworks for reliability assessment [5] [4]. These tools recommend checking sourcing, link transparency, and editorial corrections; researchers should record both the citation and a brief note on credibility if the source is used to support contested claims, so readers can weigh potential agendas.
6. A concise example you can adapt for APA referencing
Using APA format, a typical reference for a fact‑check page would list the author or organization, year of publication, title of the article, site name, and URL; for example: Organization Name. (Year, Month Day). Title of fact‑check article. Site Name. URL. If no individual or organization author is listed, use the site name as author and include the date or “n.d.” if missing; consult APA examples for newspaper articles when the piece reads like journalism [2] [3] [9].
7. What to do next and where to verify the site’s provenance
To finalize the référence, scrape the page for the visible author credit, publication or last‑updated date, article title, and the site name; then format per your chosen citation style and attach an evaluative note if needed. For disputes about credibility or organizational ownership, consult domain registration, the site’s About/Editorial pages, and independent media‑bias assessments; use these checkpoints to record provenance before citing. For style templates and concrete examples, refer to APA’s webpages and newspaper citation pages and to style guides or institution requirements for mandatory variations [2] [3].