We all use the internet to find different types of information. In some cases, you may need to search web resources for your assessments. It's worth remembering that information on the internet isn't always verified as anyone can publish online, so you need to take extra care in evaluating the sources of this information.
There are different methods or tools that you can use for evaluating websites, news and media, including:
This guide explains how to detect fake news, evaluate social media, check images, utilise Wikipedia and recognise bias.
SIFT (The Four Moves) is a way to analyse news articles, articles, social media posts, videos, and images. It takes an active approach to evaluating information, instead of just following a checklist like the CRAP test. It was developed by Mike Caulfield.
The information on this page is adapted from his material using a CC BY4.0 License
When you find a website or a post, stop and ask yourself if you know the source of the information or anything about the reputation of the claim, especially if you have a strong reaction to the content. Take a moment to reset, remembering the purpose of your research and what you plan to do with the information you find.
It's important to know the expertise and agenda of your source, try and figure out where the media is from before reading it. Search online for the author or publisher to find out what others say about them.
Look for the best information on a topic or scan multiple sources to see what the consensus is. Find something in-depth and read about more viewpoints. Even if you don't agree with the consensus, it will help you to investigate further.
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). Trace the information back to the original source to find out more about the original intent and if it was accurately reported.
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