Research Scientist, Center for an Informed Public, University of Washington
Director of Blended and Networked Learning, Washington State University Vancouver
Instructional Designer / Acting Director, Online Communications, Keene State College
Director of Community Outreach, OpenCourseWare Consortium (hosted at Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Search Interface Engineer, NewsBank
E‑Learning Engineer, Cognitive Arts
Web Programmer / Interim Director of Product Development, Cognitive Concepts
Instructional Designer, Energy International
Composition Instructor / Webmaster & Educational Resources Developer, Northern Illinois University
Mike Caulfield is an educational technology and digital literacy researcher and practitioner known for creating the SIFT method (“Stop, Investigate the source, Find better coverage, Trace to the original context”) to help learners rapidly evaluate claims and sources online. He currently manages the Academic & Collaborative Technology (ACT) team at the University of Washington Bothell, where he supports teaching technologies, classroom technology, and accessibility services. Previously, he served as a Research Scientist with the University of Washington’s Center for an Informed Public (CIP), leading rapid‑response research on mis- and disinformation during elections and crisis events, and as Director of Blended and Networked Learning at Washington State University Vancouver. He co‑authored the book "Verified" (University of Chicago Press, 2023) with Sam Wineburg and authored the widely adopted open textbook "Web Literacy for Student Fact‑Checkers" (2017). His work has been featured by major outlets and adopted across libraries and universities in North America and beyond. Email (ACT team listing): [email protected]. Sources for roles and work: UW Bothell ACT team page; UW CIP announcement; Verified (UChicago Press); Web Literacy textbook page; SIFT blog post. citeturn6search0turn1view0turn11view0turn0search5turn12search1
University of Chicago Press • Book
An applied, research‑informed toolkit for sensemaking on the web. Caulfield and Wineburg teach quick, practical moves—rooted in SIFT and lateral reading—to get context in seconds, spot red flags, separate ads from reporting, evaluate scholarly sources, and trace claims, quotes, and media back to their origins, helping students and citizens make better online judgments with less time and effort.
Project Information Literacy (PIL) Research Institute • Report
An essay arguing for a “less is more” approach to web evaluation. Drawing on decision‑making theory and SIFT/lateral reading research, Caulfield contends that quick, context‑seeking moves often outperform deep analysis for non‑experts in high‑volume, low‑attention environments. He outlines how to help students allocate attention wisely and develop effective habits for civic information literacy.
Election Integrity Partnership • Report
A pre‑election rapid‑response analysis describing how uncertainty, anxiety, and expected vote‑count dynamics can fuel mis- and disinformation. It forecasts common narratives (e.g., mistreated ballots, premature victory claims, misleading crowdsourced “evidence”) and offers guidance to journalists and the public on framing, verification, and context to mitigate delegitimization efforts.
Independent / Pressbooks (Open Textbook) • Book
A practical open textbook that teaches specific web‑based strategies, tactics, and tools students can use to get closer to the truth online within seconds. It argues that the web is both the largest propaganda machine and the most powerful fact‑checking tool—if students learn concrete techniques for verification and contextualization.