Source Evaluation | Student Worksheet

What Will You Learn?

In today's world, information is everywhere - but not all of it is trustworthy. You'll learn to evaluate sources for reliability, identify bias, and compare information across multiple sources to find the truth.

The CRAAP Test: Your Source Evaluation Toolkit

Use these five criteria to evaluate any source:

Currency

When was it published? Is it up to date?

Relevance

Does it relate to your topic?

Authority

Who wrote it? Are they an expert?

Accuracy

Is it supported by evidence?

Purpose

Why was it written? To inform, sell, persuade?

Applying the CRAAP Test

Source: "The Benefits of Solar Energy" - SolarPanelsCo.com (2024)

"Solar energy is the best choice for homeowners. Our panels save thousands on electricity bills. Everyone should switch to solar immediately!"

Currency: 2024 - Recent and current

Relevance: About solar energy - relevant to topic

Authority: Company selling panels - potential bias!

Accuracy: "Best choice" and "everyone should" - opinions, not facts

Purpose: To sell products - not objective information

Verdict: This source has bias because the company profits from solar sales. Use with caution!

Reliable vs. Unreliable Sources

Signs of RELIABILITY

Author credentials listed
Sources and citations provided
Published by reputable organization
.edu, .gov, or known news outlets
Balanced presentation of facts
Recently updated

RED FLAGS for Unreliability

No author or anonymous
No sources cited
Unknown website or publisher
Extreme emotional language
Only one perspective shown
Outdated information

Bias Red Flags: Words That Reveal Opinion

obviously clearly everyone knows the best/worst always/never must/should ridiculous amazing/terrible

These words signal that the author is sharing OPINIONS, not facts!

Types of Sources

PRIMARY

Original, first-hand

Diaries, interviews, photos, original research

SECONDARY

Analysis of primary sources

Textbooks, news articles, documentaries

TERTIARY

Summaries of other sources

Encyclopedias, Wikipedia, directories

How to Cross-Reference Sources

Step 1: Find the key claim you want to verify
Step 2: Search for 2-3 other sources that discuss the same topic
Step 3: Compare what each source says - do they agree?
Step 4: If sources conflict, check which has better credentials and evidence
Step 5: Trust information that multiple reliable sources confirm

Remember: "Corroboration" = confirming facts across multiple sources

Your Turn! Practice Source Evaluation

1. Which source is MORE RELIABLE for a research paper on climate change?

A. A blog post titled "Climate Change is Fake" with no author listed B. A NASA.gov article by climate scientists with citations

2. What is the PRIMARY PURPOSE of this source?

"Buy HealthyLife vitamins today! Our supplements are proven to boost energy. Order now and save 50%!"

A. To inform readers about nutrition B. To sell a product C. To entertain readers

3. Identify ONE bias indicator in this passage:

"Obviously, video games are destroying young minds. Any reasonable person can see that children should never play these terrible games."

4. A website article about vaccines was written by a doctor (MD) who works at Johns Hopkins University and includes 15 citations to peer-reviewed studies. Rate this source using the CRAAP test criteria. Which criteria does it score HIGH on?