English 101: Evaluating Sources

Source evaluation is the process of determining whether information found in a particular source (book, journal article, website, video, etc.) is credible and appropriate for further use.

• Instructors will often expect students to use scholarly/peer-reviewed journal articles.
• Make sure information is the most accurate and up-to-date for your research topic.
• Make sure information presented is fact-based and not just the author's point of view/perspective.
• Better sources mean better grades!

T.R.A.A.P. Test for Source Evaulation

Timeliness:

• When was the information produced or published?
• Has the information been updated or revised recently?
• Is the information current enough for your topic?

Relevance:

• Does the information relate to your topic?
• Does the information meet the requirements of your assignment?
• Who is the intended audience?

Accuracy:

• Is the information accurate?
• Does the creator/author provide sources or reference information for their data?
• Are there any spelling or grammatical errors? (This is often a sign of questionable information.)
• Where does the information come from?

Authority:

• Who is the author/creator of the information?
• Is there any contact information listed? (publisher, email address)
• Who is the publisher/sponsor of the information?  Are they reputable/credible?
• Does the URL provide any clues regarding the information's credibility? (.com, .edu, .net. org., .gov)

Purpose/Point of View:

• What is the purpose of the information?  Is it educational/informative?  Convince you of something? Or even sell you something?
• Is the information factual?  Opinion?  Even propaganda?
• Is the information politically, culturally or personally biased in some way?  How do you know?

(Adapted from several versions in the Libguides community, Cal State University Chico, and infolab).