As a way to help lateral reading evaluation, Mike Caulfield at Washington State University created a method he calls the Four Moves, or later called SIFT. SIFT stands for Stop; Investigate the source; Find better coverage (coverage that better suits your needs); and Trace claims, quotes, and media back to the original context. This method, as with lateral reading in general, puts an individual source back into context. It allows you to evaluate it in the larger information ecosystem, rather than as a silo all its own.
Hint: It is always a good idea to search the library's databases to verify scholarly information presented online. In the case of "breaking" or very recent news, it may not be possible to find a verifying scholarly source through the library, but it is good practice to investigate.
SIFT and other methods can be used to evaluate the credibility of news sites and content which frequently goes "viral." Here are some other tips.
Now that you've learned some techniques for evaluating online information, take a look at these stories and evaluate their credibility.
This article claims that US consumers ingest chemicals that people in other countries don't. Is that true? What else does this article imply?
Sounds like a potential weight-loss solution! Ewww. Is this story true?
Is enough evidence presented to prove or disprove this claim?
What about the claims in this article? Can you verify them?
Is this story plausible? What do you think?
Is this claim real or not? What evidence is there?
Let's Try a Few Websites
Use the SIFT method to evaluate these Nutrition sites. Which would you use in an academic research paper?
Train yourself to use high quality sources by putting all information to the CRAAP test. The criteria for your CRAAP test may be different from your classmates. Remember that you should evaluate every source within the context of your assignment.
CURRENCY: Timeliness or Publication Date of Information Before you begin searching, write down a date range that is appropriate for your topic. For certain topics (technology, legal, medical, etc.), even 5 year old information may be too old. Setting and sticking to a publication date range will help you eliminate weak information quickly.
RELEVANCE: Applicability to Your Research Needs You may find search results that contain all your keywords, but aren't relevant to your goals for the speech. Before you begin searching, write down specific questions you want to answer. This will help you search with greater purpose and avoid information that is too general or broad.
AUTHORITY: Source or Creator of the Information Your research should always come from reputable sources. Before you begin searching, think of people who would be knowledgeable on your topic. Avoid crowd sourced internet sites like Answers.com or Wikihow for better alternatives specific to your topic.
ACCURACY: Trustworthy, Reliable or Correct Information The internet is notorious for inaccurate information. Using the other CRAAP criteria, determine if the author of the information is trustworthy. Then search to see how other sources on the same topic agree or disagree with the author's conclusion. Searching and reading widely from many different sources helps you expose inconsistencies or inaccurate information.
PURPOSE: Reason the Information Exists Intentions may influence the quality of the information. If an author is writing an article to sell something, to influence or change your opinion, or to entertain you, the quality of the information will change. Follow the money trail. Try to determine who may be making money (a publisher, a company, an individual, etc.) and how that may affect or skew the information.
What does it mean when your instructor asks for "peer reviewed" or "scholarly" sources. Peer review has long been the process to determine if research meets the standards for publication in scholarly journals. This brief video from the Librarians at North Carolina State University explains peer review in just three minutes. Enjoy!