Evaluating Information Sources

Summary

The Australian National University Library introduces the TRAAP Test as a guide for evaluating information sources in research. TRAAP stands for Timeliness, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose, helping to determine the quality of a source. The test advises on assessing the currency, topical connection, author's credentials, information's legitimacy, and the underlying intent of the resource. It encourages students to ensure they are citing credible and relevant sources, and suggests consulting a librarian for further assistance.

Takeaways

• 📚 The TRAAP Test is a helpful acronym for evaluating the quality of information sources in research.
• 🕒 Timeliness refers to the recency of the information, considering when it was created, published, or last updated.
• 🔍 Relevance ensures the source is directly related to the topic and is at an appropriate level of depth for the research.
• 👤 Authority is about the credentials of the author and publisher, which can indicate the reliability of the source.
• 🔗 The URL can provide insights into the source's credibility, with certain domain extensions suggesting more reliability.
• 📘 Accuracy involves verifying the information against other sources and checking for peer review or evidence of unbiased language.
• 🎯 Purpose is understanding why the resource was created, considering the author's intent and potential biases.
• 🏛️ Government URLs (.gov.au) suggest official and reliable sources, unlike harder-to-verify .net domains.
• 🧐 Peer review and acknowledgment of research limitations are indicators of accuracy and thoroughness in a source.
• 💡 The 'About Us' section can reveal information about the author, funding, and publisher, which are crucial for assessing purpose and bias.
• 🚫 Inflammatory language, images, or advertising on a website can be red flags indicating persuasion rather than informative intent.

Q & A

What is the TRAAP Test and how does it help in evaluating information sources?

The TRAAP Test is an acronym that stands for Timeliness, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. It is a tool to help determine the quality of a source for research by assessing these five criteria.

What does 'Timeliness' in the TRAAP Test refer to?

Timeliness refers to the newness of the information, including when it was created, published, or last updated, and whether it is current enough for the topic of research.

How can you assess the 'Relevance' of a source using the TRAAP Test?

Relevance is assessed by considering if the source is directly related to the research topic and if the language and depth of the information are appropriate for the level of the research.

What aspects should be considered when evaluating the 'Authority' of an information source?

Authority involves checking the credentials of the author and publisher, and considering the evidence provided by the author to back up their information.

Why is 'Accuracy' important in the TRAAP Test?

Accuracy is crucial to determine if the information in the resource is legitimate, verified by checking at least two other sources, and looking for evidence of peer review or unbiased language.

What is meant by 'Purpose' in the context of the TRAAP Test?

Purpose refers to understanding why the resource was created, including the motivations behind it, the funding body, and whether it is written to inform or persuade.

How can the URL of a website provide insight into the source's credibility?

The URL can indicate the source's origin; for example, .gov.au suggests it is from the Australian government, while .net is harder to verify, indicating a need for further credibility checks.

What are some red flags to look out for when assessing a website's credibility?

Red flags include the presence of advertising, inflammatory language, images, or graphic styles that seem intended to persuade rather than inform.

How can a librarian assist in evaluating the quality of information sources?

A librarian can provide guidance on the TRAAP Test criteria, help find alternative sources, and offer advice on the credibility and quality of resources.

What should you do if you are uncertain about the quality of a source after applying the TRAAP Test?

If uncertainty remains, it is advisable to find another source or consult a librarian for further assistance in ensuring the quality of the information.

Why is it important to consider the source's funding and 'About Us' section when assessing its purpose?

Understanding the source's funding and reading the 'About Us' section can reveal potential biases, affiliations, or commercial interests that may influence the information presented.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Evaluating Information Sources with the TRAAP Test

The narrator introduces the TRAAP Test as a method for evaluating the quality of information sources in academic research. The acronym stands for Timeliness, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. Timeliness refers to the currency of the information, prompting questions about the source's creation date and whether the information is current or refuted. Relevance ensures the source is directly related to the research topic and is appropriately complex. Authority involves assessing the credentials of the author and publisher, which can indicate the source's reliability. Accuracy is about verifying the legitimacy of the information through cross-referencing and peer review. Lastly, Purpose examines the intent behind the creation of the resource, considering factors like funding, affiliations, and potential biases. The TRAAP Test is presented as a helpful tool for students to ensure they are citing high-quality resources in their academic work.

Keywords

💡TRAAP Test

The TRAAP Test is an acronym introduced in the video to help evaluate the quality of information sources. It stands for Timeliness, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. The test serves as a guideline for researchers to determine if a source is credible and suitable for citation. It is central to the video's theme of teaching how to discern quality sources in a sea of information.

💡Timeliness

Timeliness refers to the currency of information, which is crucial for ensuring that the research is based on up-to-date data. In the script, timeliness is associated with the creation date, publication, or the last update of the information. It is important to determine if the information has been refuted or if it remains current for the research topic.

💡Relevance

Relevance is the degree to which a source is directly related to the research topic and is written at an appropriate level of complexity. The video emphasizes that cited sources should provide in-depth explanations or summaries as needed and use language suitable for the researcher's level. Relevance is key to ensuring that the information supports the research argument effectively.

💡Authority

Authority in the context of the video pertains to the credibility and expertise of the author and publisher of the resource. It involves checking the credentials and ensuring that the author has the necessary qualifications to write on the subject. The script mentions that the URL can also provide insights into the source's authority, such as .gov.au indicating government affiliation.

💡Accuracy

Accuracy is the measure of how correct and legitimate the information in a source is. The video script suggests verifying information by consulting multiple sources and looking for evidence of peer review. It also advises checking for unbiased and objective language and whether the author acknowledges the limitations of their research.

💡Purpose

Purpose refers to the intention behind the creation of the resource. The video encourages researchers to consider the motivations of the author, such as whether the information is sponsored by a lobby group, corporation, or political entity. It also suggests examining the 'About Us' section and funding sources to understand the resource's underlying purpose.

💡Cite

To cite in the context of the video means to reference or acknowledge a source in one's research. The script emphasizes the importance of citing quality sources and using the TRAAP Test to determine which sources are worth citing. Citing is fundamental to academic integrity and the credibility of research.

💡Lobby Group

A lobby group is an organization that seeks to influence decisions in public policy and legislation. In the script, the video mentions considering whether the information is written on behalf of a lobby group, which could indicate a biased perspective that may not be purely informative.

💡Corporation

A corporation is a large business entity that may have a vested interest in how information is presented. The video script advises researchers to be aware of corporate influence when evaluating sources, as it could affect the objectivity and accuracy of the content.

💡Political Group

A political group represents a collective of individuals with shared political beliefs or goals. The script warns that information written on behalf of a political group may be skewed to support certain ideologies, which is important for researchers to recognize when assessing source credibility.

💡Religious Order

A religious order is a group within a religion that is organized under specific rules and often has a particular mission. The video mentions that sources may be written on behalf of a religious order, which could introduce a religious perspective that may not be purely factual or objective.

💡Inflammatory Language

Inflammatory language is speech or writing that is intended to provoke strong reactions or emotions. The video script cautions against sources that use such language, as it may be an attempt to persuade or inflame rather than inform, which can compromise the neutrality of the information.

Highlights

The Australian National University Library introduces the TRAAP Test for evaluating information sources.

TRAAP stands for Timeliness, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose.

Timeliness refers to the newness of the information and its currency for the topic.

Relevance ensures the source is appropriately detailed and uses suitable language for the research level.

Authority is determined by the credentials of the author and publisher.

The URL can provide insights into the source's credibility, such as .gov.au indicating government affiliation.

Accuracy is verified by cross-checking information with at least two other sources.

Peer review evidence and unbiased language indicate the accuracy of a source.

The author should acknowledge the limitations of their research for accuracy.

Purpose involves understanding the intent behind the creation of the resource.

Consider the source's funding, affiliations, and potential biases when assessing purpose.

Advertising on a website can be a red flag indicating a commercial influence on the information.

Inflammatory language or persuasive styles may detract from the informative intent of a source.

The TRAAP Test helps in identifying quality sources and avoiding those that might be traps.

Librarians can provide further assistance for those uncertain about the quality of their sources.

Using the TRAAP Test can lead to better research outcomes and the appreciation of lecturers.

Transcripts

- [Narrator] This is the Australian

National University Library

and this is what you need to know

about evaluating information sources.

With all the information out there,

it can be really overwhelming working out

which sources you should cite in your research.

So, how do you determine what is a quality source

and what is, well, not?

That's where the TRAAP Test comes in.

Yes, TRAAP.

T-R-A-A-P.

Think of it as a helpful acronym

to take the stress out of choosing

whether or not to cite a source in your research.

You need to know whether or not it's a trap.

It stands for five things

to look at when assessing a source:

Timeliness, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose.

Timeliness is simple, the newness of the information.

The date it was created, published or last updated.

Questions to think about around timeliness.

When was it originally created?

Is the information up-to-date, or has it since been refuted?

Is it current enough for your topic?

The next one is relevance.

Sources that you cite should be relevant to your topic

and pitched at an appropriate level.

Questions to think about relevance.

Is it an in-depth explanation or a quick summary?

Is the language appropriate to your level,

not too basic or advanced?

Is the information part of a more comprehensive source

that might be more appropriate for your research?

Then, authority.

Essentially, who wrote and published the resource.

Checking the credentials of the author and publisher

give you a pretty good insight into the quality of a source.

Questions to think about around authority.

Who is the author and are their qualifications relevant

to the top they're writing about?

Has the author provided substantial evidence

to back up their information?

What about the URL?

This can tell you a lot about an information source.

.gov.au indicates it is from the Australian government,

while .net is way harder to verify.

The next A is accuracy.

This is where you work out

if the information in the resource is in fact legitimate.

Questions to think about around accuracy.

Can you verify the information

by checking at least two other sources?

Is there any evidence of peer review?

Does the language seem unbiased and objective?

Does the author acknowledge

the limitations of their research?

Which brings us to the final criteria, purpose.

Think about why the resource was written in the first place.

Looking beyond the source itself

will give you a better understanding.

Some questions to think about around purpose.

Is the information written on behalf of a lobby group,

corporation, political group, or a religious order?

Read the About Us section to find out more about the author,

funding body, or publisher and really think about

why and how the resource was funded.

If it's a website, does it have advertising?

That can be a big red flag.

Does the source use inflammatory language, images

or graphic styles that seem intended to persuade

or inflame instead of inform?

So, if you think a source might be a trap,

or if you just want to be certain

you are quoting top quality resources,

remember the TRAAP Test,

timeliness, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose.

Your lecturer will thank you.

And if you still feel uncertain,

it is probably best to find another source

or better yet, come in and ask a librarian.