The SIFT Method is one way to evaluate information. This method works well for online formats and popular sources.
Click through the tabs on this box to learn more about each of the four steps.
This first step asks you to pause for a moment before automatically trusting a source and accepting it as true. Don't share it or use it for your research until you know more.
Ask yourself:
Become a fact checker by going outside the source to learn about it.
Begin by learning more about author and the organization.
What sources does the author cite to support their work? Are they credible?
The website's domain is not an indicator of its credibility. The domain only tells you what kind of website it is: commercial, education, government, non-profit organization (possibly). You should evaluate the source based on the information it contains, not by the URL.
A website that ends in .gov (government website) is considered authoritative, but you should still evaluate it to make sure it meets your information need.
Investigate this source: The hidden homeless: Thousands of schools are failing to identify students experiencing homelessness from Central Times
There are many reasons why you might need better (or different) coverage.
Other coverage might be more in-depth, more reputable, more varied, or more current.
Good information should cite their sources. Scholarly sources will have a list of references at the end. Online popular sources may link to their sources.
These can also be altered, taken out of context, or misrepresented. This happens frequently on social media.
Fact check: Image of 2017 Los Angeles holiday traffic misrepresented as New Orleans evacuations