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Merrill Dilemmas in Justice : Websites and Source Evaluation

Websites

Academic search engines to try:   Google Scholar or Refseek 

Recommended websites:

 Use this form to guide your analysis of open web resources:  Woodward Academy Website Evaluation Form

Fact Checking with the SIFT Method

SIFT is a series of actions you can take to determine the validity and reliability of claims and sources of information. 

The SIFT method, or strategy, is quick, simple, and can be applied to various kinds of content: social media posts, news articles, scholarly articles, videos, images, etc.

Each letter in SIFT corresponds to one of the Four Moves:

SIFT graphic

The method was developed by Michael Caulfield, Director of Blended and Networked Learning at Washington State University- Vancouver.  Modified from Mike Caulfield's SIFT (Four Moves), which is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Think Tanks

What is a Think Tank?: Often affiliated with universities, foundations, advocacy groups, and non-governmental organizations that generate policy research and analysis. Many are ideological; others strive to be independent and non-partisan.  

Selected Think Tanks:

  • The Brookings Institution: Conduct research on ideas for solving problems facing society at the local, national and global levels. 
  • Center for American Progress: Progressive research and advocacy organization "dedicated to improving the lives of Americans through progressive ideas and action."

  • Pew Research Center: Nonpartisan institute conducting public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. 

SIFT in 4 Moves

Move #1: S - STOP!

Ask yourself:

  • Do I recognize this source?
  • If I do recognize this source, is it something I know I can trust?
  • How does this source make me feel?
  • Does this source answer a question I'm asking in my research?

Watch this video intro about SIFT:

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Move #2: I - Investigate

Ask yourself:
  • What IS this source, exactly? Is it a news article, a blog post, a government report, etc.?
  • Who wrote or created this source? 
  • Who published this source?
  • What is the purpose in publishing this source? To inform? To entertain? To make you feel certain emotions?
Knowing the expertise and agenda of the source is crucial to your interpretation of what is being said.

Try Lateral Reading!

Watch this video of Move#2: Investigate with "Lateral Reading" and "Add Wikipedia":

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Move #3: F - Find Better Coverage--Look at Other Sources

  • Find a better source, to help determine the reliability of the information:
  • Try a keyword search of text in Google (highlight text and right click in Chrome)
  • Try a reverse image search in Google (right click on image and click search GoogleImages in Chrome)

 Watch this video of "Verify With Other Sources":

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Move #4: T - Trace Claims, Quotes, and Media Back to the Original Source

Find some context. Context is the set of circumstances and things around a person or thing or event that we humans often rely upon to give something meaning, to understand where it comes from, and what it might affect.

Watch this demo of trace back to the original source:

Watch this about building a library of trusted sources :

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.