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Dual Credit ENG 151 - SIFT Method for Evaluating Sources

This guide explains how to use the SIFT Method for evaluating sources. SIFT stands for Stop, Investigate the claim, Find better coverage, and Trace back to the original source.

Step 2: Investigate the Source

Step 2: Investigate the Source

This step asks you to take action on a source. It's where you'll do the most work to evaluate your source. Read laterally by going outside the source to learn more about it. Wikipedia can be a good starting point to learn about an organization. You're not citing it as a source for your paper - you're using it as a tool to help you evaluate your source. Open other tabs in your browser to find more information about your source.

Start by investigating the organization and the author.

  • What is the purpose of the information? Why does the information exist?
  • Who are the people publishing the information?
  • How is the author qualified to write on the topic? What can you learn about their background, credentials, or affiliations?
  • What do others have to say about them?

Fact-checking the Claim

  • If they're making a claim that something is fact, can you find coverage of the claim from other sources? Do those sources agree?

TIP: One easy strategy is to copy and paste a headline into a new window followed by the words “fact check.”

  • Does your source cite evidence for the claims they're making? Click on any links within the text. What are those sources like? Are they credible? Or do they only cite other articles they've written, meaning we're only getting one perspective?

Looking for Bias

Use the following tools to help you identify media bias:

Remember that a website's domain (.org. com, .edu, .gov) is not an indicator of its credibility. The domain only tells you what kind of website it is. You should evaluate the source based on the information it contains, not by the URL.

Practice!

Investigate this source: The Effect of Social Media on College Students.

  • What kind of organization is this?
  • Based on what you learned about the organization, what do you think is the purpose of the source?
  • What information can you find about the author of this article?
  • Did they cite their sources? What were those sources like?