There is not usually one singular way to detect if information is factual or not. As Howard Rheingold says in his article Crap Test 101, finding misinformarion depends on taking multiple steps; verifying data can't usually be done in an instant. Checking for the site's author is usually the first step, as anonymity is misinforamation's right hand. Rheingold also states that an important question is: "Who are these other people whose opinions you are trusting? Is the site a .gov or .edu?" URL's ending with certain abbreviations also allude to the validity of a website.
When the author leaves links on their website, or when articles are open for comment or discussion, the overall validity also increases. When the public are able to verify or discuss issues, it is more likely that inconsistencies will surface. Be skeptical. Sites like the scholarly productivity index allow the public to see for themselves if author's really do have the paperwork to back up their claims. It is these kinds of sites that people can use as tools of detection in order to sift through the crap and find the true gems... uuuhhh.
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