Check out more information on Mike Caulfield's SIFT approach and his online book Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers.
The SIFT method was created by Mike Caulfield. All SIFT information on this page is adapted from his materials with a CC BY 4.0 license. |
SIFT is an acronym for initially evaluating source credibility. It was created by Mike Caulfield and stands for: STOP: Pause and ask yourself if you recognize the information source or know anything about the website's reputability. INVESTIGATE: Where does this information come from? Is it worth your time? Look at what others have said about the source. FIND: Look for trusted coverage. Look for credible sources and compare information across sources to determine if there is consensus. TRACE: Trace claims, quotes, and media back to its original source. Sometimes online information has been removed from it's original context. |
Ask yourself: Do I know this website? Do I know this information source? Do I know it's reputation?
Before moving forward, use the other three moves: Investigate the Source, Find Better Coverage, and Trace Claims, Quotes, and Media back to the Original Context.