Let's work together to figure out if this is an article we should use for our research.
As a reminder, here are the parts of SIFT:
- Stop!
- Investigate the Source
- Find Trusted Coverage
- Trace to the Original Source
We already did the first step (Stop!), and now we'll perform the rest of SIFT in groups.
In your group, answer the questions provided by following the provided links and having a conversation with each other.
Make sure at least one person in the group writes down some notes to each question.
After a while, we'll come back and discuss your findings with the rest of the class. You'll need to summarize what you found.
Don't forget that you can ask your librarian for help!
Group A - Investigate The Guardian as a news source
- What does the "About Us" page say? Is that page useful to you?
- What is the reputation of this site? Does it publish reliable information?
- Use the links below to investigate this news organization's reliability.
Based on your findings, should we trust this website as a source for our research? Talk us through your process to come to this decision.
Group B - Investigate the original news source (Associated Press) and author.
- This article was republished from the Associated Press. The original article was written by Sophie Austin.
- What is the reputation of this site? Does it publish reliable information?
- Why do you suppose The Guardian is republishing this story from Associated Press?
- Use the links below to investigate the source and author.
Based on your findings, is this original news source and author reliable? Is it concerning that The Guardian republished an article from the Associated Press? Describe how your investigation led to your conclusion.
Group C - Find Trusted Coverage
- Can you find reliable sources to corroborate the facts from this article?
- Major newspapers?
- Trustworthy institutions' websites?
- What is the reputation of the other sources corroborating the story in terms of:
- Reliability?
- Bias?
- Has it won important awards (e.g., Pulitzer Prize)?
- Are there different viewpoints from trusted sources to consider?
- Are there academic sources on this or similar topics?
Summary of the facts, created by Copilot:
Were you able to find trusted sources that reported similar stories? Discuss your process for making that decision.
Group D - Trace Claims, Quotes, and Media to Their Original Context
Within your group, discuss the following questions:
- Is this article reporting new information or reporting from existing sources?
- What are the original sources for the story/facts and are they reliable?
- Who is quoted in the text? Are they authorities on the topic?
- Are there links to other sites, government reports, etc.?
- Do the facts selected for inclusion and the sources behind those facts represent a balanced view of the issues?
Click on the links or look for references within the article to see the sources of their reporting.
Were you able to trace the facts and claims to their original sources of information? How credible and accurate were the claims made in the Guardian article? Discuss your process for making that decision.
