News Story Reading Checklist: Six Passes

The six passes

Pass 1: Claim

What is the central claim, in one sentence, with a subject, an action, a scope, and a time?

Pass 2: Who is speaking

Mark every assertion with its source. Named with direct knowledge, named with an interest, unnamed, or the outlet itself.

Pass 3: Evidence and characterization

Underline what could be checked. Bracket the adjectives. Reread using only what you underlined.

Pass 4: Framing

What is this story an instance of, and what other frame could it have used? Which facts would have moved to the top under that frame?

Pass 5: What is missing

Three checks: is there a comparison or baseline; does the criticized party respond; does the story say what is still unknown?

Pass 6: Confidence

State your position in one sentence, with the reason attached. “I am confident that X, because Y” or “I do not know whether Z, because the story asserts it without attribution.”

The four-line output

After the passes, write four lines:

1. The central claim.
2. The strongest piece of evidence in the story.
3. The most important thing the story does not tell you.
4. Your confidence, with the reason.

Three stories a week for a fortnight is usually enough for the passes to start running automatically.

For facilitators

Give the group one story and ask everyone to complete line three only, then compare. Groups routinely identify five or six different omissions from the same piece, which demonstrates the value of the pass better than any explanation does.

Version and reuse

Version 1.0, reviewed August 2026. Reuse terms are described on the Terms of Use page.

Next step

Read the full lesson

Topics covered: Media LiteracyCritical Thinking