Evaluate Your Own Writing 

Applying the SIFT method to your own writing is a good way to insuring the credibility of your writing as well as a way to reflect and improve. Use the following steps and see how your writing stands up. 

STOP

• How are people encountering your writing?
• What is your purpose? To provoke an emotion, call to action, to inform...

Investigate

• Who are you to be writing on this topic and can someone easily prove your credentials? 
• Where are you publishing this information?  Is it known for being credible?  If you are publishing in a journal, research the journal title through Think. Check. Submit. or review our Predatory Journals Guide for more resources.
• Was there any funding for this project? If so, is relevant information easily accessible? 

Find

• Did you do a literature review? If so, is it included?  
• How many perspectives did you include? Are they all different, the same or a balance?  
• Is anyone else covering the same or similar topic? 
• Are you in consensus, disagreement or providing new view points? 

Trace

• Do you use data to back your claims and have provided all the citation information? Make sure that readers can find what you have cited. 
• Can your study be duplicated with the information provided? 
• Does the data support your conclusion?