STOP! IS THIS WEBSITE TRUSTWORTHY?!

If I learned anything from Mike Caulfield and Sam Wineburg’s Verified (specifically the introduction- chapter three), it is that a lot of websites, social media accounts, and newspapers CANNOT be trusted.

Now this isn’t to say all forms of information on the internet are a lie and cannot be trusted, but what I am saying is it is tricky. Lots of tricksters are sitting behind a screen spreading false information, and here is the scariest part…

Most people don’t realize they are spreading false information.

So how do we stop and analyze if a source on the internet is legit or not?

SIFT

S: The first thing you want to do is to stop. Stop everything and ask yourself “What am I really looking for?” After this you will probably have an easier time with navigating the internet in regard to your question. Knowing what you are looking for helps the process of finding the research much easier, because you aren’t digging through information that might be related to your topic, but in most cases isn’t.

I: The second thing you want to do is to investigate the source. Where did it come from? Who wrote it? What is their background? Who are they writing for? This step will tell you a lot about if the website is not only credible, but also if it has any biases trying to push an agenda.

F: The third thing you should do is to find other coverage on the question. Who else is writing about it? What is the conversation surrounding this topic of discussion? This step will help you zoom out and see the bigger picture.

T: The last step you want to take is tracing the claim. What is the original context surrounding the claim? Are there links to anything else within the source? What is the origin of the claim? All these questions will help you find out if the source is reputable.

What if that’s still not enough?

If you are still struggling after using the SIFT method to determine if a source is legit or not, try looking for some cheap signals, or using Google as your new best friend.

Cheap signals

One cheap signal I always have to remind myself of is that

A WELL ORGANIZED AND NICE-LOOKING WEBSITE DOES NOT MEAN IT IS A TRUSTWORTHY WEBSITE!!

This always gets tricky for me, and I often forget a lot of big scammers can buy all the nice bells and whistles for their sites, because they know it means it will create more traffic on their page, and inherently more people will get sucked into the void of false information.

So, when in doubt don’t always assume a nice-looking website or social media page is trustworthy. A lot of people will spend a majority of their time making it appeal trustworthy to the common folk, because they know they will 1) look and it and deem it acceptable and 2) will not look past the flatteries the page offers.

Why do I need to be besties with Google?

Google can be your biggest helper when it comes to research, BUT you have to know how to communicate with Google.

One of the biggest takeaways I learned from these chapters is that Google tries to give you the results it thinks you want. This means your word choice and keywords you use to search information is extremely important.

For example, if you are researching if a keto diet is good for you, you will most likely find articles regarding the great transforms of people going on the diet. On the other hand, if you search if the diet is bad for you, Google will give you an entirely different set of results.

A good rule of thumb when getting to know your new bestie is to make sure you don’t use a biased question. If you tell Google, you already think the keto diet is good or bad, it will give you the results supporting your word choice. (Instead, you could ask Google, “What are the effects on a person’s health when switching to a keto diet?”)

So, what now?

Now when you research, remember to stop and SIFT! It might be difficult to determine if a website is credible or not, but by using the SIFT method, looking for cheap signals, and getting help from your new best friend (Google), you’ll be in a much better position to call if it is BS or the truth.

Good luck with y’all’s researching. Always wishing you guys the best.

-Sunburned Cowgirl