One method for quickly evaluating online content is the SIFT Method (introduced by Mike Caulfield). The steps are:
STOP before you read the article
INVESTIGATE the source
FIND trusted coverage of the topic
TRACE claims to their original context.
Practicing these habits can help you avoid common pitfalls like confirmation bias (only looking at information that aligns with your existing viewpoint) and relying on the source itself to evaluate its trustworthiness.
Online Verification Skills — Video 2: Investigate the Source: This video shows how to use Wikipedia to efficiently learn more about sources and claims (this video clip starts halfway through the full video)
The idea here is that you want to know what you’re reading before you read it.
Now, you don’t have to do a Pulitzer prize-winning investigation into a source before you use it. But if you’re reading an article on economics by a Nobel prize-winning economist, you should know that. On the other side, if you’re watching a video on the benefits of milk that was created by the dairy industry, you want to know that as well.
Knowing the expertise and likely bias of the source is crucial to your interpretation of what they say.
If you want to know whether the claim in your it is true or false or whether it is a major point of debate, your best strategy may be to ignore the initial source and look for trusted reporting or analysis on the claim
These are considered major publications that have a large, national audience and use editorial and reporting processes that are well-regarded and authoritative. These newspapers have characteristics that give them a reputation for accuracy and high-standards.
Sometimes through Internet searching you find academic-looking sources that may end up not been trustworthy. The best way to find reliable academic sources is to use library databases. See also the Finding Sources Using the Library Databases page of this Guide.
Verifying Trustworthy Academic Sources: this video provides some tips for assessing the trustworthiness of academic sources you find online.
Much of what we find on the internet has been stripped of context, and we're not sure if we're receiving all the details. In these cases, you can trace the claim, quote, or media back to the source, so you can see it in it’s original context and get a sense if the version you saw was accurately presented.
Online Verification Skills — Video 3: Find the Original Source
The following Guides were used in preparation of this page:
"How Do I Investigate a source (S.I.F.T)?", CMST 220 Public Speaking: Evaluating sources
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