The SIFT Method for Fact-Checking

SIFT, developed by information-literacy educator Mike Caulfield, names four moves: Stop; Investigate the source; Find better coverage; and Trace claims, quotes and media to the original context. It is a flexible method, not a rigid checklist that must always be completed in order. Depending on the question, one move may be enough; a consequential or complex claim may call for all four. Stop before reacting or sharing. Notice whether the claim is unfamiliar, emotionally charged or outside your expertise. Investigate the source: who made it, what experience they have with this topic, and what interests or corrections are visible elsewhere? Do not rely only on the site’s self-description. Find better coverage by searching for reporting or analysis from sources with relevant expertise. Look for independent work rather than repeated copies of a single claim. Trace the claim, quote or media to its original context. Open the cited study, interview, public record, original video or earliest available image publication. Check whether the first source says what later posts claim it says. An article may summarize a study accurately, overstate it or omit a limitation; a viral picture may be genuine but old or attached to a false location. Keep notes on which move changed your understanding. SIFT does not guarantee a true/false answer, and “better coverage” still needs evaluation. If original sources are unavailable or independent evidence conflicts, describe what remains uncertain. The method supports informed judgment and careful sharing; it does not replace subject expertise, technical investigation or a fair account of evidence.