Subject guides: Evaluating Sources: How to Check Your Sources

When evaluating resources, two popular frameworks can help you decide whether the information is reliable, credible, and useful for your research.

Let’s explore S.I.F.T and T.R.A.A.P to make sure you have all the tools you need to think critically about your sources.

S.I.F.T

The SIFT method is a powerful tool for evaluating information online, especially in today's fast-paced digital world where misinformation spreads quickly. It helps you think critically about the online content you read and gives you a framework to build judgements about how reliable a source may be.

Let’s break down each step in more detail:

SIFT materials adapted from the work of Mike Caulfield under CC BY 4.0 license.

T.R.A.A.P

The T.R.A.A.P test is an easy way to check if a source is reliable and useful for your research.

T.R.A.A.P stands for Timeliness - Relevance - Authority - Accuracy - Purpose

It helps you decide if the information is good enough to trust and use. By looking at these key elements you can quickly figure out if a source is worth using.

Select one of the plus symbols below to learn more about T.R.A.A.P.