LibGuides: Evaluate Your Sources: Summary: TRAAP

Evaluation is Essential

Evaluating the sources of the information you find, whether in print or digital format, is an essential aspect of doing research. The criteria for evaluation (relevance, accuracy, authority, purpose and timeliness) are interconnected. Take everything into account to determine how well the source addresses your specific needs. TRAAP is a useful way to remember the criteria.

TRAAP - Criteria for Evaluation

Timeliness
Relevance
Authority
Accuracy
Purpose

Escape the information trap.

Evaluate information sources: Apply T.R.A.A.P. Criteria
Escape the information trap. Evaluation criteria in a PDF handout, with a summary of questions to ask yourself when evaluating each criterion. The 2nd page of the handout provides suggestions on where to look to find answers to these questions.
TRAAP Evaluation Worksheet for Note-taking

A CRAB - Evaluative Criteria

Authority
Currency
Relevance
Accuracy
Bias

A.C.R.A.B.
Evaluation criteria in a PDF handout, with a summary of questions to ask yourself when evaluating each criterion.

More information

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Other Websites

Evaluating Health information
From MedlinePlus
Evaluating Information on the Internet
This guide from Johns Hopkins University includes more detail on how to identify misinformation and how to track down authority and currency of a website.
Evaluating Internet Research Sources, VirtualSalt
Authored by Robert Harris. See end of document for "Living with Information: The CAFÉ Advice."
Evaluating Web Pages
From U.C. Berkeley Library - specific techniques you can use to determine web site quality.
Purdue OWL: Evaluating Sources - Where to Begin
Purdue's extensive Online Writing Center includes information on different things to look for when evaluating print and web sources.