Questioning YOUR SOURCES?

Using SIFT to help us evaluate our sources:

The SIFT Method, created by Mike Caulfield, is a way to determine if resources are credible.
Terms:
  • Peer review: A pre-publication process in which scholars, usually anonymously, review each other's work to improve its quality
  • Periodicals: Publications that come out on a regular schedule, like journals, magazines, or newspapers
  • Primary source: Original information used in analysis
  • Scholarly journal: A periodical containing articles written by and for scholars; almost always peer reviewed
  • Secondary source: A source that analyzes or interprets a primary source and is typically used in support of an argument
  • Authoritative: A way of describing sources whose accuracy can be trusted; scholarly journal articles and books tend to be highly authoritative.

Lateral Reading

Additional Websites:
  1. STOP: Pause and ask yourself if you recognize the information source and if you know anything about the website or the claim's reputation.
  2. INVESTIGATE the source: Take a minute to identify where this information comes from and to consider the creator's expertise and agenda. Is this source worth your time? Look at what others have said about the source to help with you these questions. 
  3. FIND trusted coverage: Sometimes it's less important to know about the source and more important to assess their claim. Look for credible sources; compare information across sources and determine whether there appears to be a consensus. Focus on lateral reading!
  4. TRACE claims, quotes, and media back to the original context: Sometimes online information has been removed from its original context (for example, a news story is reported on in another online publication or an image is shared on Twitter). If needed trace the information back to the original source in order to recontextualize it.

Other ways to question your sources is with the CRAAP test

"When you search for information, you're going to find lots of it . . . but is it good information? You will have to determine that for yourself, and the CRAAP Test can help. The CRAAP Test is a list of questions to help you evaluate the information you find. Different criteria will be more or less important depending on your situation or need." [SOURCE]
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TRY OUT THE CRAAP TEST!
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