Evaluating Sources using Lateral Reading The Ohio State University Libraries

What is Lateral Reading?

Lateral reading is a strategy for source evaluation that focuses on using information from Wikipedia and other websites to learn more about a specific website or source, so that you can develop a better understanding of who created the site and why. Rather than staying on the site and closely evaluating it to determine credibility, lateral reading involves leaving the site and searching for additional information (Wineburg, S., & McGrew, S., 2019). According to Mike Caulfield, "Lateral readers don’t spend time on the page or site until they’ve first gotten their bearings by looking at what other sites and resources say about the source at which they are looking." (Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers)

For an more detailed introduction to lateral reading, watch the following video created by the University of Louisville Libraries.

Comparing Lateral Reading to Other Evaluation Strategies

Lateral reading is different from many other evaluation strategies, such as the CRAAP test, which encourages you to determine credibility by focusing on factors such as the domain (.org, .edu, .com), whether the site has ads or references, what the "about" section of the site states, and the general appearance of the site. While these factors could be helpful, for the most part, they are superficial and easily manipulated aspects of a source that will not provide a clear indication of the credibility of the site. For additional information, see: Source Evaluation Myths.

Lateral Reading in Practice

The image below indicates what it looks like when someone is practicing lateral reading. Instead of remaining on the site and reading "vertically", the lateral reading strategy encourages you to search for information about a site by opening multiple tabs and using the information you find through a search engine or Wikipedia to learn more about the site's origins and creators.

Opening multiple tabs to search for information on original site

Demonstrating Lateral Reading

For an example of lateral reading, consider the Plant-Based Meat Ingredient Guide: https://wellness.consumerfreedom.com/ingredient-guide/. The purpose of the site is stated as follows: "The Plant-Based Meat Ingredient Guide exposes the most concerning ingredients in these heavily processed foods, and lets you see exactly which products you’ll find them in." What can we find out about the site using lateral reading?

Search Results

A search of the site indicates that the site was sponsored by the Center for Consumer Freedom. A Google search for "Center for Consumer Freedom" finds indications that the group is a front for a public relations firm, as well as a link to a Wikipedia page with more information.

The arrows indicate relevant information about the original site.

Wikipedia Results

Searching the Wikipedia page for the organization provides indications that the PR firm represents organizations from the restaurant and food industries, which are thought to include Tyson Foods and Arby's (both, of course, famous for meat products). With a few simple searches, you now have additional context that would help you to more effectively evaluate the credibility of the information found on the original site.

Wikipedia page for the Center for Organizational Research and Education: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Organizational_Research_and_Education

Summary: Lateral Reading

In summary, lateral reading is a strategy for source evaluation that is intended to help you gain background information and context that will allow you to make informed decisions about the credibility of sources you find. The process is simple--just search for information on the site, including any creators or sponsors, using a search engine or Wikipedia, to see what others have to say about the site. You may still decide to use the site, but now you will have additional information to help make your decision, rather than only relying on the information on the site itself.

For More Information

For additional guidance on the lateral reading strategy, see the following resources:

Credits: This guide was developed by The Ohio State University Libraries. References and Resources: Web Literacy for Student Fact-Checkers by Michael A. Caulfield is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted; Wineburg, S., & McGrew, S. (2019). Lateral reading and the nature of expertise: Reading less and learning more when evaluating digital information. Teachers College Record, 121(11), 1-40; University of Louisville Libraries, Lateral Reading, from Citizen Literacy, created by Robert Detmering, Amber Willenborg, and Terri Holtze for University of Louisville Libraries and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License; Benedictine University Libraries, Evaluating Sources: The CRAAP Test, https://researchguides.ben.edu/source-evaluation; Center for Consumer Freedom, Plant-Based Meat Ingredient Guide, https://wellness.consumerfreedom.com/ingredient-guide/; Wikipedia page for the Center for Organizational Research and Education: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Center_for_Organizational_Research_and_Education; Civic Online Reasoning, Sort Fact From Fiction Online with Lateral Reading; Pace University, Evaluating Sources: Lateral Reading. Image credits (licensed from Adobe Stock): Search engine concept for landing page by bonezboyz; Laptop and checkboxes with check mark by antoniofrancois.