Skip to Main Content

THE 430 - Seminar in Theatre: Costume Studies

Research resources and tips for Prof. Lowell's course, Spring 2023

SIFT (Four Moves) Method

SIFT Infographic: Stop; Investigate the source; Find better coverage; Trace claims, quotes and media to the original context

Stop:  Reflect on whether you know the website or source of the information, and what the reputation of both the claim and the website is. Or, STOP and take a second to remember your purpose if you're feeling overwhelmed by information.

Investigate the source: Before reading further, run a basic search on the author (or journal, organization, etc.). Wikipedia can be a useful resource for this. Figure out whether this resource with worth your time, and if it is, you will better understand its trustworthiness and significance.

Find better coverage: If you are more focused on investigating the claim (rather than on the source itself), scan multiple sources to see what the expert consensus may be. Try to find sources that are more trusted, more in-depth, or more varied than your initial source.

Trace claims, quotes, and media back to the original context: Much of what we find on the internet has been stripped of context. Trace the claim, quote, or media back to the source, so you can see it in it’s original context and get a sense if the version you saw was accurately presented.

Infographic and by Mike Caulfield - CC-By license

More about SIFT and evaluating sources