Claim Fact-Check template
Title page
- See page 227 of our style manual for an annotated sample
Abstract
- See page 228 of our style manual for an annotated sample
First paragraph (major premise)
- Introduce the topic
- Give the context
- Quote the claim in APA format
- Tell who made the claim
- Ask your research question: Is this claim reliable?
Body paragraphs—as many as it takes to check the facts (minor premise)
- Give any background info cold readers need to get up to speed about the issue
- Give evidence to support the claim (each piece of evidence should be discussed in a separate paragraph)
- What is the evidence
- Where does it come from
- What makes the evidence reliable (or not)
- Why is it important/what does it prove
- Give evidence to debunk the claim (each piece of evidence should be discussed in a separate paragraph)
- What is the evidence
- Where does it come from
- What makes the evidence reliable (or not)
- Why is it important/what does it prove
Final paragraph (conclusion)
- Quickly recap the evidence in a sentence or two
- Explain whether the claim is reliable or not (based on the evidence) and under what conditions
- Answer your research question
References page
- See page 231 of our style manual for an annotated sample
Technical requirements
- Use APA manuscript style throughout in form, documentation, and citations (see our style manual for specifics)
- Provide paper copies of all sources you cite, including a copy of the original claim in the context it was reported