Evaluate sources for reliability

Today we will learn how to evaluate sources for reliability. Reading and writing help us share our ideas with others.

Research writing involves finding, evaluating, and synthesizing information from sources to support an original argument. CRAAP test for evaluating sources: Currency (Is it recent enough?), Relevance (Does it relate to your topic?), Authority (Who wrote it? Are they credible?), Accuracy (Is it supported by evidence?), Purpose (Is it informing, selling, or persuading?). Citation formats (MLA, APA, Chicago) give credit to sources and allow readers to verify information. Plagiarism is using someone else's ideas or words without attribution—even unintentional plagiarism has consequences. Paraphrase by reading a passage, closing it, and writing from memory in your own words. Strong research essays synthesize multiple sources into a coherent, original argument rather than just reporting what sources say.

Let's break this down step by step so it's easy to understand. Follow along with the examples, and don't worry if it takes some practice to get the hang of it!

Remember: Making mistakes is part of learning. If something is tricky, try again, look at the examples, or ask for help.