Elements of Political Communication/General guidelines/Accuracy

Your organization or campaign publishes thousands of words, both printed and spoken. Without an accurate message, careful audiences can judge you as careless, apathetic, or worst of all, ignorant. Candidates and organizations must carefully consider the consequences of every element of the messages they create. Therefore, be truthful and correct. In most cases, you are not expected to cite your sources, but you should be certain your information is clear and correct before you publish it. Otherwise, audiences may question the validity of your entire piece.

Some research has indicated that the reliability of sources has little effect on a reader's long-term acceptance or rejection of a position; however, the general trend of research over the past five decades indicates that highly credible sources are far more effective in terms of changing an audience's attitude or behavior. Since incorrect assertions are more easily republished (and fact-checked) in today's media environment, you should err on the side of caution when citing specific information. Quoting advocacy groups’ studies or polls does little to help your argument. No group is universally accepted as a definitive source, so consider the cost–benefit ratio of using the findings before you include them. If you quote an authority, know the person's views and speciality intimately. Avoid referencing trendy intellectuals; name dropping of this kind will turn off a portion of your audience.