How can you get better at sorting truth from fiction online? The SIFT method provides a simple, effective framework for evaluating information. It consists of four "moves" to help you understand what you're seeing before you read, react, or share.
The first and most important move is to pause. When you first land on a page or post, don't immediately read or share it.
Ask yourself: Do I know this website or source? What is its reputation? If you don't know, use the other moves to find out.
Remember your goal: If you feel yourself getting overwhelmed, stop and refocus. A quick check is fine for a casual read, but deep research requires more effort.
Before you read the content, take a moment to understand who is behind the information. Knowing the source’s expertise and agenda is crucial for interpreting what they say.
Who is the author or publisher? A 60-second search can tell you if you're reading an article on economics by a Nobel Prize-winning economist or a video about milk funded by the dairy industry.
Expertise matters: This quick check helps you decide if the source is worth your time and how to weigh its claims.
Often, you care more about the claim than the specific article you found. In that case, your goal is to find the best possible coverage from a variety of trusted sources.
Look for expert consensus: Instead of digging into the source you have, search for the topic yourself. See what reputable news organizations, academics, or fact-checkers are saying about the claim.
Compare multiple sources: This move allows you to see the bigger picture, understand the history of a claim, and find a more reliable and in-depth explanation.
Information we find online is often stripped of its original context. Your job is to trace claims, quotes, and media back to their source to see if they are being presented accurately.
Question what you see: A video clip may be edited, a quote may be cut short, and a research finding may be exaggerated.
Follow the trail: Find the full, original source. Was the quote part of a larger conversation? What happened before and after that video clip? Does the original research paper actually support the claim being made?
All four moves work together to achieve one primary goal: to reconstruct the context that the internet so often strips away. By understanding the source, the broader consensus, and the original framing of information, you can make smarter and more fruitful decisions about all digital content you encounter.
Digital literacy expert Mike Caulfield created the SIFT method to help people check if online information is trustworthy. This guide is adapted from his original materials, which are available under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
