The SIFT method was designed by Mike Caulfield. The ideas, images, and videos presented here are his creations. For more information, please checkout his blog post on the SIFT method.
The first step is just what it sounds like! Before you read and share a post or story, stop and ask yourself, "Do I know this website (or other information source)? What is their reputation?"
If you do not have the answers, follow Steps 2-4 to get that information and understand the source better.
This short video explains more:
The second step doesn't have to take long! You should find out who (a person or organization) is behind the information. Knowing the source's expertise and purpose will help you understand it better.
Open up an internet tab and search for information about the author(s) or publisher. You can usually find enough information in one minute or less.
This short video explains more:
Often, the specific source isn't as important to you as the claim it makes. A claim is a statement that declares itself to be true. You want to know if a claim is true or false, if experts agree about it, or if it is being debated.
In these cases, search for several trustworthy sources on the topic.
This short video explains more:
Information on the internet is shared so often that the website you find a story on may not be the organization responsible for investigating and writing it. In these cases, you should try to find the original reporting source.
Investigate the original reporting source's reputation, and look at the claims in their original context.
This short video explains more:
Looking to develop your internet fact-checking skills further? Check out this easy, free course. The course is made up of five easy lesson, each of which takes about 30 minutes to complete, and dives deeper into the SIFT method of evaluating information.
This free eBook was written by Mike Caulfield, who developed the SIFT method of evaluating information found the internet. It's easy to read and full of great information!
Disinformation is a real problem, especially on the Internet. But what (exactly) is disinformation? Who makes it? And why?
This brief video will answer all of these questions.
Misinformation and disinformation come in various forms. This video will teach you about five common types.
This brief tutorial from Niche Academy will teach you more about the lateral reading strategy for evaluating internet sources. This tutorial is free and should take no more than 30 minutes to complete. If prompted, log in with your MCC ID and password.
This brief tutorial from Niche Academy will teach you more about the CMD/CTRL F strategy for evaluating internet sources. This tutorial is free and should take no more than 15 minutes to complete. If prompted, log in with your MCC ID and password.
Some content on this page comes from the MCC Library Services' How to Guide series on Evaluating Research Sources, created by an MCC Research Librarian, Rachel Kramer.
All images on this page are courtesy of Adobe Stock.
