Part of being a good researcher - part of being a good citizen - is learning how to critically evaluate the information you find online. Academic journal articles go through a process of peer review and editing, but the Internet has billions of websites of varying quality and origin. On social media platforms, there are billions upon billions of posts with information and claims of fact.
Here are a few tips on evaluating online sources of information.
When you come across a website that has interesting information, you can use the "CARS" method to critically evaluate the website's content. CARS stands for:
| Credibility |
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| Accuracy |
|
| Reasonableness |
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| Support |
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Even if you are not researching a topic for an assignment, you are bombarded all the time with information - whether on TV, Facebook, Twitter, or TikTok. The SIFT method helps you sift through all of the information that comes your way even when you're not researching!
Here is a video from Wayne State University that explains the SIFT method:
Stop
Investigate the source
Find better coverage
Trace claims, quotes, and media back to their original context