LATERAL READING VS VERTICAL READING
VERTICAL READING
"The historians and students read vertically -- staying within the original website in question to evaluate its reliability." (Spector)
Vertical readers are often duped by unreliable indicators such as:
- a professional-looking name and logo
- scholarly or reputable references
- a .org URL
- a polished "About Us" page claiming a nonprofit status
LATERAL READING
"The fact checkers read laterally -- quickly scanning the website in question but then opening a series of additional browser tabs, seeking context and perspective from other sites." (Spector)
Lateral readers exercise habits that lead to more thorough and efficient evaluation of information/sources such as:
- search for the site/article on fact-checking sites
- search the web for the owner or publisher of the site
- search for pages linking to the site
- follow references back to any original sources
- research what other sites say about the source
Lateral reading is basically searching for information about a source while you are reading it; you are checking for currency, relevancy, authority, accuracy, and purpose (CRAAP method) by reading what other sites say about your source. This is different from vertical reading where you apply the CRAAP method using only the information the site itself provides you.
The concept of lateral reading originated out of research from the Stanford History Education Group (SHEG) under Sam Wineburg, the founder and executive director and is used by professional fact checkers!
So, to read laterally:
- Open lots of tabs in your browser.
- Get off the site you are on.
- Do a deliberate Google search for the source or information you are evaluating.
- Read what trusted and reliable sources are saying about the site or claim. Try to find four or five other sources that discuss your source. (If you can't find that many, that's a sign that your source might not be good.)
SOURCE EVALUATION TECHNIQUES
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Source Evaluation TechniquesLateral Reading vs. Vertical Reading
(From Oberlin College Libraries) -
Lateral Reading HandoutFrom the University of Louisville
HOW TO READ LATERALLY
THE ART OF READING LATERALLY
YouTube Lateral Reading
By the University of Louisville Libraries