SIFT Moves
Stop!
Does that article, video, or meme make you feel amazed, angry, excited, or appalled?
When we feel strong emotions we're more likely to be fooled by false information.
When evaluating sources, set your emotions aside. Consider why you are interacting with the information source and what your goal is.
First, ask yourself two questions:
- What do you already know about the topic?
- What do you know about the source? Do you know its reputation?
Then, move on to the next steps.
Investigate the Source
Consider various aspects of the source including when it was created, why it was created, its relevance to your research, who the author is, and where the author got their information.
Use other resources (Google Scholar, Wikipedia, Google News, CardinalSearch, etc.) to learn about the author or publisher of the source. Ask yourself:
- What can you find about the author and website creators?
- What is their mission? Do they have a particular interest? Might their assessment or writing be biased?
- Does the author have any authority on the topic?
Use lateral reading to go beyond the website itself. Find out what other trusted sources might say about the source. Using Google or Wikipedia (NOT AN AI TOOL) to help you is always a good idea. You can also use the technique hovering to learn how information or articles are being shared on social media platforms.
Find a Better Source
Don't just click on the first result! Use lateral reading to see if you can find other sources corroborating the same information or disputing it.
- What coverage is available on the topic?
- Keep track of trusted sources.
Use CardinalSearch, Google Scholar, Nexis Uni, Google News, or research databases to look for other related sources.
Check fact-checking sites. Many times, fact checkers have already looked into the claims. These fact-checkers are often nonpartisan, nonprofit websites that try to increase public knowledge and understanding by fact checking claims to see if they are based on fact or if they are biased/not supported by evidence.
Trace Info to the Original Context
Photos, quotes, data, and other information can be easily taken out of context or misinterpreted by authors.
Look for a longer version of video clips, uncropped or unedited photos, or the research article being cited.
Follow links in the article or on the website to find the original source of the context. Use any footnotes or bibliographies to look for sources the author cited, and then look for them on CardinalSearch, Google Scholar, or Google.
- Was the claim, quote, or media fairly represented?
- Does the extracted information support the original claims in the research?
- Is information being cherry-picked to support an agenda or a bias?
- Is information being taken out of context?
Remember, headlines, blog posts, or tweets may sensationalize facts to get more attention or clicks. Re-reporting may omit, misinterpret, or select certain facts to support biased claims. If the claim is taken from a source who took it from another source, important facts and contextual information can be left out. Make sure to read the claims in the original context in which they were presented.
When in doubt, contact an expert – contact a librarian or email the library!
The SIFT method was created by Mike Caulfield and is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 license.
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