Fake News & Digital Media Literacy: Lateral Reading and the SIFT Method

Lateral Reading

One of the most effective strategies for evaluating information found online is to engage in lateral reading. Lateral reading involves leaving the website, opening a new tab, and seeing what trusted digital sources say about that website and/or claim. The below CrashCourse video explains how you can use lateral reading to fact-check a source. It is important to note that several tools have been developed from lateral reading, most notably the SIFT method. This strategy walks through four "moves" that you need to take before reading and engaging with an online source. For more information, see the SIFT Method infographic.

This video was created by CrashCourse in partnership with MediaWise, the Poynter Institute, and the Stanford History Education Group.

What "Reading Laterally" Mean

• The sixteenth chapter in Mike Caulfield's Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers, this resource explains lateral reading in more detail.

Expand Your View with Lateral Reading

• This webpage from the News Literacy Project includes some of the questions that you will want to ask when reading laterally.

Trace Back to the Original Source

This video was created by CNTRL-F with support from CIVIX.