The ACT UP method stands for
A - author. Who wrote the resource? Who are they? Background information matters.
C - currency. When was this resource written? When was it published? Does this resource fit into the currency of your topic?
T - truth. How accurate is this information? Can you verify any of the claims in other sources? Are there typos and spelling mistakes?
U - unbiased. Is the information presented to sway the audience to a particular point of view? Resources unless otherwise stated should be impartial.
P - privilege. Check the privilege of the author(s). Are they the only folks who might write or publish on this topic? Who is missing in this conversation? Critically evaluate the subject terms associated with each resource you found. How are they described? What are the inherent biases?
This method was designed by Dawn Stahura, a librarian at Simmons College. For more information, you can read her original article.
Here's a rubric created by Carleton College Library that you can use to evaluate sources with the ACT UP method.
Ad Fontes Media's Media Bias chart. This interactive website attempts to rank news sources according to their levels of fact-based reporting and political leanings.
AllSides Media Bias chart. This is a less complex, static variation on the original media bias chart.
The SIFT method stands for
This method, designed by Mike Caulfield has become a popular, fast way to fact-check web sources. Visit this book chapter to learn more.