Evaluating Sources

Information is everywhere, however, not all of it is valid, useful, or accurate. Evaluating sources of information is important personally, academically, and professionally. A checklist such as TRAAPS (see info below) can get you started in recognizing the various criteria important to evaluating credibility. However, you will also want to step away from the source to investigate how others view the source, particularly in terms of authority and purpose of the information. This is called 'Lateral Reading'. 

Different types and formats of information - news, social media postings, media - may require a different approach.