Misinformation, Bias and Fact Checking: Mastering Media Literacy

Use this section of the guide to learn the best ways to evaluate information.

Whether reading a page or a post, consider the following:

This material was adapted from NewseumeD. The original work can be found here. 

Use the ESCAPE method to help you remember the six key concepts for evaluating information:

Image courtesy: NewseumED

Use the SIFT method to learn what to do when looking at a source.

Stop -  First, when you first hit a page or post and start to read it - STOP. Ask yourself whether you know the website or source of the information, and what the reputation of both the claim and the website is. If you don’t have that information, use the other moves to get a sense of what you’re looking at.

Investigate -  Take a moment to look up the author and source publishing the information. What can you find about the author/website creators? ​ What is their mission? Do they have vested interests? ​Would their assessment be biased? Do they have authority in the area?​

Find -  Look for more coverage on the topic, or scan multiple sources to see what the consensus is. You don't have to agree with the consensus once you find it, but understanding the context and history of a claim will help you better evaluate it and form a starting point for future investigation.

Trace -  Trace claims, quotes and media back to the source. What was clipped out and what stayed in? Find the original source so you can determine whether the version you have is accurately presented.

This material was adapted from research scientist Mike Caulfield, who created the SIFT methodology. The original work can be found here. 

What is lateral reading?
Lateral reading is the act of verifying what you’re reading as you’re reading it. It helps you determine an author’s credibility, intent and biases by searching for articles on the same topic by other writers (to see how they are covering it) and for other articles by the author you’re checking on. If other reliable sources confirm what you’re reading, you can feel confident about its credibility.

Questions to ask:

• Who funds or sponsors the site where the original piece was published? What do other authoritative sources have to say about that site?
• When you do a search on the topic of the original piece, are the initial results from fact-checking organizations?
• Have questions been raised about other articles the author has written?
• Does what you’re finding elsewhere contradict the original piece?
• Are credible news outlets reporting on (or perhaps more important, not reporting on) what you’re reading?

This material was adapted from the News Literacy Project. The original work can be found here.