Headlines are built to win your attention fast, so a quick media‑literacy habit can save you from reacting to framing instead of facts. First, watch for emotionally loaded words like “shocking,” “slammed,” or “destroyed,” because they often smuggle an opinion into what should be a neutral description; rewrite the headline in plain language to see what actually happened. Next, notice missing subjects—phrases like “mistakes were made” or “critics say” can hide who acted and who is accountable. Then look for false certainty, where words like “proves” and “confirms” appear without direct evidence, data, or primary sources linked in the story. Be cautious of single‑villain narratives that reduce complex issues to one person or group, since that’s a common way to steer blame and simplify solutions. Finally, separate the claim from the evidence by checking whether the article provides documents, full context, and verifiable sources instead of speculation or anonymous assertions; as a bonus, read beyond the headline and compare coverage from at least one outlet with a different audience to keep familiarity from becoming false certainty.
