Media Literacy

SIFT Method: The Four Moves  The SIFT method was created by Mike Caulfield.  Use the SIFT method to help to determine if a source is credible, especially news or other online media.

CTRL-F Named for the keyboard shortcut for ‘find,’ CTRL-F is an evidence-based program that equips students with the habits and skills needed to evaluate online information to determine what to trust.  Instructional Videos are also available.

CRAAP Test.  Developed by the Meriam Library, California State University, Chico, this is a set of  questions designed to help you evaluate information based on the following points:

• Currency: The timeliness of the information
• Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs
• Authority: The source of the information
• Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the content/
• Purpose: The reason the information exists.

PARCA Test.   A similar set of questions but presented as: Purpose, Authority, Relevance, Currency and Accuracy.   From: SPARK at York University, 2013.

OWL at Purdue also provides a checklist for Using Research and Evidence, specifically to determine the type of evidence/research to use and how to determine if a source is credible.

These websites and guides are available to help you evaluate your teaching resources for specific subject areas:

Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children's Books   By Louise Derman-Sparks Based on “Ten Quick Ways to Analyze Children’s Books for Racism and Sexism.” Updated in 2013.*

How to Tell the Difference: A Guide for Evaluating Children’s Books for Anti-Indian Bias by Doris Seale, Beverly Slapin and Rosemary Gonzales.  Click on the title to access the companion list of criteria for evaluating books about indigenous peoples or that include indigenous content or themes.  (How to tell the Difference and A Broken Flute are available in the Education Libraries and can be borrowed).  

American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL)  From the site:  "American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) provides critical perspectives and analysis of indigenous peoples in children's and young adult books, the school curriculum, popular culture, and society."    This site provides a "Not Recommended" page as well as AICL's yearly Best Books recommended titles.  

Deepening Knowledge: Resources for and about Indigenous Education This site includes websites to help bring Indigenous authored materials into your classroom.  Also linked on this site is the TDSB Guide for Including Indigenous Peoples in the Curriculum. 

How to Identify Reputable Historical Sources. How can a curious reader or student determine “good history,” as opposed to questionable or completely unfounded statements and claims? What are the characteristics, methods, and approaches of responsible historical inquiry?  (From Holocaust Encyclopedia Accessed October 14, 2022)

There are several questions to ask when you are examining and evaluating the "intrinsic merits" of materials made for individuals and groups in school or other educational settings, from Kindergarten to Grade 12 for example - otherwise known as curriculum materials.  Of course, not all materials can be judged as excellent or even good in all respects. However, a strong critical evaluation which should include both strengths and weaknesses of the material can be developed.

With practice, you can make a sound judgment concerning the overall quality of any material and its suitability for use in the classroom and in the development of unit plans in order to aid the students in achieving the objectives for the course:

1. AUTHORITY - What are the credentials of the author, editor, contributor, illustrator, actor, publisher or producer? This influences the credibility of the work.  Book covers, introductions, and teachers' guides may contain some information about the author and his/her expertise in the area they have written about. Official author websites, biographical dictionaries and encyclopedias can also be useful to find information about prominent authors. 

2. SCOPE - What subject or topic is covered? What is the depth of the coverage? Is this a comprehensive work or an overview of a topic? The title & subtitle, book cover,  introduction, table of contents, summaries,  container and teachers' guides should provide some information.

3. AUDIENCE - Is this a juvenile, popular, scholarly or technical publication? Some material is recommended or more suited for a particular age or grade level. Are the print size, vocabulary, illustrations, and concepts appropriate for the recommended audience? Note that some materials, because of the topic discussed, may be of interest to both juvenile and adult level audiences.

4. CURRICULUM SUPPORT - Does the material support the Ontario curriculum for the recommended audience level? Examine the Ontario curriculum guide and curriculum expectations available for that subject and grade level.  Are the materials listed on the Ontario Ministry of Education's Trillium List?

5. OBJECTIVITY - Is a balanced view of a controversial topic presented? Has the author stated his or her personal bias about the topic in an introduction? Are opinions presented as facts or supported by research?

6. ACCURACY - Is the information presented accurate, or are there inconsistencies or inaccuracies noted? Check data against a known reputable source.

7. CURRENCY - How current are references cited in bibliographies or lists of suggested readings? Is the latest census or statistical information included?

8. ARRANGEMENT - Does the information flow in an orderly fashion? Are there gaps or omissions in the information? Are indexes, glossaries, or keys to pronunciation available? Are test questions or suggested activities included? Are teachers' guides, workbooks, scripts, or other support materials available?

9. STYLE - Is the information clearly presented in a style appropriate for the intended audience? Is the style scholarly or entertaining? Is it appropriate for the subject? Will students find the information not only interesting but intellectually challenging? Will students be stimulated to read more books by a particular author or to study further in the subject area?

10. PHYSICAL/ONLINE FORMAT - Is the binding or container durable and attractive? Check the font and illustrations. Are they clear, legible, and appropriate for the intended audience? Are there companion websites with reproducible pages and additional resources?  Is this freely accessible or password protected? Curriculum level materials are intended for use by many students. Is this the best format for presenting the information?

11. PRICE - Is the price reasonable for the material? Price information may be available on the item or on the publisher's website.  Take into account its intrinsic merits and physical qualities. If the material is available in more than one format, is there a notable difference in the prices? How does the price compare to other materials of a similar quality?

12. COMPARISON - How does the material being evaluated compare to materials by the same author, illustrator or publisher? Does it compare favorably to other materials on the same topic?

(Adapted from University of Alberta Libraries Teaching Secondary Social Studies, Evaluating Resources, Accessed January 13, 2018)