Students work through a short, guided check of any website, article, post or book and come out with a score, a verdict and a list of things to look at again.
Open Source Check See plans and prices
Included in the Special plan and every plan above it. You sign in with your ABC account to open it.
How it works in class
- Pick the source type (web page, news article, social media post, book, academic paper or other) and, if you like, paste the link or a short description.
- Answer the questions in five steps: Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, Trace claims, quotes and media, and a final CRAAP check. Each answer is Yes, Partly, No or Not sure.
- Read the results: a SIFT score out of 15, a CRAAP score out of 5, a verdict (Looks reliable, Use with caution or Significant concerns) and the questions worth revisiting.
Ideas for your lesson
- Give pairs two articles about the same news story and compare their scores.
- Check a viral social media post together on the projector before anyone shares it.
- Make it the first step of a research project and attach the PDF to the bibliography.
- Ask students to explain each Not sure answer in a short class discussion.
- Use the questions worth revisiting as the starting point for a follow-up search.
Why teachers use it
- It is built on two named methods: SIFT (Stop, Investigate, Find, Trace) and the CRAAP test (Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose).
- The tool tells students it is a guide to their own judgement, not a final verdict.
- It runs in the browser. Answers are not sent to a server, and saved evaluations stay in that browser.
- Students can print or save the report as PDF, or copy a summary into their work.
- The interface works in English and Italian.
Frequently asked questions
How long does one check take?
The tool estimates 3 to 5 minutes per source.
Which plan includes Source Check?
The Special plan (€19 a month) and every plan above it. It is not part of the free tier.
Does it tell students whether a source is true?
No. It scores their answers and gives a verdict label, but it reminds them that the result supports their own judgement and is not a final ruling.
Where are saved evaluations kept?
In the browser on that device. Save to my list keeps the 20 most recent evaluations.
Related tools
- Digital Skills Check: a self-assessment of everyday digital skills
- Discussion Kit: timed discussion plans for any book
- Q and A Wall: a wall of short answers to one open question
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