Skip to Main Content

SIFT Method

Framework to improve digital literacy skills

Welcome

The SIFT Method, developed by research scientist Michael Caufield, is an evaluation framework to help improve student’s digital media literacy skills. With Using the SIFT Method, students are encouraged to Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, and Trace claims, quotes, and media back to the original post. These steps help combat false or misleading information. Each step is a simple trick to prove the reliability or validity of the information being presented.

Often when trying to identify if information is credible, we read through the article, review the page, check to see if there is an author but the SIFT Method is used to evaluate the source of information separate from the source itself by using lateral reading. Lateral reading promotes opening a new tab to investigate the source, the claim, and any media posts used to find out if the information holds validity.

Frequent misconceptions about digital information:

  • .orgs are more trustworthy than .coms.
  • Aesthetically pleasing layouts and minimal typos mean the site is trustworthy.
  • Pages with ads on them are less trustworthy.
  • Footnotes automatically make a cite credible.

Terms to Know

  • Claim is a statement that is expressing something about reality.
  • Digital literacy is the ability to find, evaluate, and communicate information found on digital medias.
  • False Context/False Framing is when real content is shared with a false comment, statement, or summary that results in misrepresenting the story. 
  • Lateral reading is the act of verifying a source by comparing it with other sources.
  • Reporting on Reporting is when publications take the original report and either rewrite the story, only pull out pieces of story, combine story pieces with other story pieces.
  • Source is the location of where a claim can be found.