The SIFT Method for Evaluating Websites

It's Time to Learn How to "SIFT"

So you think you have found a website that you can use as a data source for your paper? But are you sure that your professor will accept it?

Professional researchers ask themselves these questions when working with websites

• Do I know this website?
• Do I know this websites information source?
• Do I know this websites reputation?

A good way to find the answers to these questions is by using the SIFT method for website evaluation

Below is the first in a series of short videos starring Mike Caulfield, the creator of the SIFT method

The second letter in the SIFT Method stands for: Investigate the Source

	Remember, what a website says about itself can be biased or misleading You'll need to do some lateral reading (see previous page in this module for more information on lateral reading) Try a Google search or a quick Wikipedia verification to start the process

The 2 minute and 45 second video below will go into more detail about investigating the site

The "F" in SIFT stands for: Find Better Coverage

	Look for coverage of the same topic in other sources Build a list of trusted sources for news and fact checking For images you can do a "reverse image search Links to an external site."

Below is another short video from the Caulfield series that goes into more detail regarding how to find better or additional coverage on your source:

The "T" in SIFT stands for: Trace Quotes, Claims and Media Back to Its Original Source

Click on links that lead to the origin of claims If a bibliography is present, click on links to the original source Pay attention to the context of the claim, quote or piece of media. Note if it is being fairly represented.

This part of the process uses all the skills you have gained so far. Watch the video below and Mike Caulfield will show you how it's done.

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This is all well and good but what about Wikipedia? We all love Wikipedia but how do we use the information we get from Wikipedia if we have been told that it can't be used in our scholarly work? On the next page you will learn how to use Wikipedia information for legitimate good research!

Citations & Attributions

The information above comes from a great book available for free, online, called Web Literacy for Student Fact Checkers Links to an external site.

Video source:  "Online Verification Skills with Mike Caulfield Links to an external site." series from the CNTRL-F Links to an external site. on You Tube Links to an external site..

Except where otherwise noted, the content in this module by San Diego Mesa College Library Links to an external site. is licensed under CC BY SA 4.0 Links to an external site.