Big-feelings words
"SHOCKING!!!" is trying to rush your brain. Slow it down.
Words like shocking, unbelievable, and terrifying, plus lots of exclamation points and ALL CAPS, make your heart beat faster.
That is the point. When you feel a big feeling, you stop thinking carefully and you want to react right away.
Facts do not need to shout. If something is written to make you angry, scared, or super excited, that is a clue to slow down.
Spot it
“You WON’T BELIEVE what this school is feeding kids!!! Parents are FURIOUS!”
Take out the shouting and what is left? Not one actual fact about the food.
Detective move
Take one breath. Cross out the feeling words in your head and ask, "What is the plain fact here?"