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Evaluating Resources and Misinformation
The SIFT Method
Source:
“The SIFT Method” by Kaitlyn Van Kampen, University of Chicago Library is licensed under CC BY 4.0
The SIFT method is an evaluation strategy developed by digital literacy expert, Mike Caulfield, to help determine whether online content can be trusted for credible or reliable sources of information. All SIFT information on this page is adapted from his materials with a CC BY 4.0 license.
Determining if resources are credible is challenging. Use the SIFT method to help you analyze information, especially news or other online media.
S – Stop
Before you read or share an article or video, STOP!
Be aware of your emotional response to the headline or information in the article. Headlines are often meant to get clicks, and will do so by causing the reader to have a strong emotional response.
Before sharing, consider:
- What you already know about the topic.
- What you know about the source. Do you know it’s reputation?
Before moving forward or sharing, use the other three moves: Investigate the Source, Find Better Coverage, and Trace Claims, Quotes, and Media back to the Original Context.
I – Investigate the Source
The next step before sharing is to Investigate the Source.
Take a moment to look up the author and source publishing the information.
- What can you find about the author/website creators?
- What is their mission? Do they have vested interests? Would their assessment be biased?
- Do they have authority in the area?
Use lateral reading. Go beyond the ‘About Us’ section on the organization’s website and see what other, trusted sources say about the source. You can use Google or Wikipedia to investigate the source.
Hovering is another technique to learn more about who is sharing information, especially on social media platforms such as X (aka Twitter).
F – Find Better Coverage
The next step is to Find Better Coverage or other sources that may or may not support the original claim.
Again, 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 news sources.
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.
T – Trace Claims, Quotes, and Media to their Original Context
The final step is to Trace Claims, Quotes, and Media to their Original Context.
When an article references a quote from an expert, or results of a research study, it is good practice to attempt to locate the original source of the information. Click through the links to follow the claims to the original source of information. Open up the original reporting sources listed in a bibliography if present
- 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.
Source:
“The CRAAP Test” by Kaitlyn Van Kampen, University of Chicago Library is licensed under CC BY 4.0
The CRAAP Test is an evaluation method that was designed by librarian Sarah Blakeslee at the Meriam Library California State University, Chico. CRAAP stands for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy and Purpose. This provides you with a method and list of questions to evaluate the nature and value of the information that you find.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
- Evaluating Information – Applying the CRAAP Test
Document from Meriam Library – California State University, Chico
C – Currency
The timeliness of the information:
- When was the information published or posted?
- Has the information been revised or updated?
- Does your topic require current information, or will older sources work as well?
- Are the links functional?
R – Relevance
The importance of the information for your needs:
- Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
- Who is the intended audience?
- Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
- Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
- Would you be comfortable citing this source in your research paper?
A – Authority
The source of the information:
- Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
- What are the author’s credentials or organizational affiliations?
- Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
- Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email address?
- Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source?
- .ac.uk = Academic institutions in the UK
- .com = Commercial sites
- .edu = Educational institutions
- .gov = Government
- .nhs.uk = Health information services in the UK
- .org = Non-profit organizations
- .mil = Military
- .net = Network.
A – Accuracy
The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content:
- Where does the information come from?
- Is the information supported by evidence?
- Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
- Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
- Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion?
Are there spelling, grammar or typographical errors?
P – Purpose
The reason the information exists:
- What is the purpose of the information? Is it to inform, teach, sell, entertain or persuade?
- Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
- Is the information fact, opinion or propaganda?
- Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
- Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional or personal biases?
Citation & Formatting
Health Sciences Research
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