Authors bear significant responsibility for ensuring the accuracy of their work from the outset. Their fact-checking duties include:

• Verifying facts, figures, and quotes during the writing process

• Maintaining meticulous records of sources and being prepared to provide evidence for claims

• Ensuring all co-authors have approved the final version and can vouch for its accuracy1

• Keeping track of key information like names, titles, dates, and statistics to maintain consistency throughout the content2

These responsibilities form the foundation of the fact-checking process, setting the stage for subsequent review by editors and dedicated fact-checkers in publications that employ them.

Overseeing the fact-checking process is a key responsibility of editors, who act as intermediaries between authors and fact-checkers. Their duties include ensuring stories are "fact-checking-ready" before submission to the fact-checking team, communicating expectations to authors, and making final decisions on incorporating corrections1. Editors collaborate with fact-checkers to address potential challenges and maintain high standards of accuracy without altering the story's narrative or style2. While not typically performing detailed fact-checking themselves, editors play a crucial role in upholding the publication's integrity and credibility through their oversight of the fact-checking process.

Dedicated fact-checkers play a crucial role in maintaining the accuracy and credibility of publications. Their primary tasks include verifying every statement and implication in a story, checking "hard" facts like names, dates, and quotes, as well as contextual information1. Working independently from authors and editors, fact-checkers maintain objectivity while collaborating with the editorial team to ensure accuracy without altering the story's narrative or style2. This specialized role is particularly common in magazines and long-form journalism outlets, where longer deadlines allow for more thorough fact-checking processes1.

The rise of dedicated fact-checking reflects an increasing emphasis on accuracy in journalism, particularly in an era of widespread misinformation. This trend is especially prevalent in magazines and long-form journalism outlets, where longer production timelines allow for more thorough verification processes1. Surprisingly, fact-checking remains rare in book publishing, where authors often bear the responsibility and cost of verification themselves2. The growing importance of fact-checking has led to its expansion into other media formats, including long-form podcasts and some documentaries, as publications strive to maintain credibility and combat the spread of false information.