Evaluate Web Resources with SIFT Lesson

Evaluate your sources with SIFT

As you do your research, it may be difficult to find the sources that best fit, so it is important to evaluate your sources based on your information needs.  Sometimes you will need a source with the most current, up-to-date information available, and other times you will not.  Or you may need to evaluate your need for an objective versus a biased perspective.

SIFT Method

A web resource evaluation tool developed by Mike Caulfield.

• Stop and consider the point of view and credibility of the site
•  Investigate the source (see lateral reading below)
• Find other sources with this same information
• Trace the claims they make.

Click this link for more detailed information.

Read laterally, for a more thorough evaluation: 

Look beyond the original source to investigate claims, authors, and organizations. 

Open a new tab on your browser

• Google the name of the organization or author in question
• Did anything come up of interest?
• Any red flags?
• Do a quick Wikipedia search.
• Or check claims against other fact-checking resources. 

Note about Wikipedia and Social Media

Social media sites and Wikipedia are often painted as the boogeyman of research, but it is not all bad.

Because Wikipedia is sourced by anonymous editors, it can not be used as a source. And social media credentials may not be easily verifiable. BUT They can be used as a tool.

Use them as a tool to

• Get a better understanding of a concept of topic. You might be able to collect key terms or concepts that you can use/verify in your research.
• Use the citations! Wikipedia articles often link to other sources. Use the links at the bottom of an article to find more credible sources.