USE SIFT to evaluate sources 

Stop

When you first begin reading or viewing a news story, a cartoon, or a video, pause for a moment to consider the source.

• What is the purpose of the website or the publisher of the information?

• Did this come from an authoritative source?

• Is the information news or opinion? Opinion pieces should be labeled. (Commentary, editorial, and perspective are other terms you might see.) You can expect them to be biased to a degree. 

• Does this information seem designed to make you feel anxious or angry? Misinformation is often designed to elicit these emotions and get you to share without thinking.

Don't use or share a piece of information until you are sure it's accurate.

INvestigate

Do some quick searches to learn more.

• What is the author's background or experience?

• Who is the publisher, and what is the purpose of the site?

• "Follow the money." Who provides monetary support for this site? Is it sponsored content? Is the information promoting something?

• Use TinEye or right-click "Search Google for Image" to find out more about the source of an image.

If you know why this information was published, you'll have a better idea about how reliable it is.

find

Accurate and reliable information can be found in multiple sources.

• Are other authoritative sources reporting the same information or story?

• Is there more to the story than what you saw in your original source?

• Are there reliable sources that dispute or disagree with this information?

Beware of information that is only part of the overall story. For example a speech can be misrepresented by leaving out some of what was actually said. 

If you can't find the information reported anywhere else, you probably shouldn't trust it.

TRace

The most accurate information comes from the original source rather than someone's description.

• Are you reading someone's summary of the meaning of a speech or event, or is this a first hand information?

• Is this an interpretation of data or do you have the original reported data?

• Have portions of a document been used without providing context or the full text?

The best information comes from the original source. 

Read the full speech or document for yourself instead of trusting another person's interpretation or summary.