traap test 1

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Imagine that you have a family member with Alzheimer’s disease. A friend sends you the following link about the use of aromatherapy in people with Alzheimer’s disease:

https://best-alzheimers-products.com/alternative-therapy-for-alzheimers/aromatherapy-for-alzheimers (Links to an external site.)

You are interested in evaluating whether this kind of treatment might really help your family member, but you want to be sure that the article provides accurate information and that this treatment is safe and effective. This paper will allow you to use the TRAAP test to evaluate the information on this web page.

In an essay of at least two full pages (no more than 4!), please

  1. Summarize the main points of the article (this should be at least a full paragraph)
  2. a) Discuss how highly you would rate the article (scale of 1-5) on each element of the TRAAP Test (timeliness, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose), b) a justification for each rating, and c) any strengths or limitations on these points, with at least a paragraph (of at least five sentences) devoted to each topic for a total of five paragraphs.
  3. Your judgment of the overall quality of this article based on the TRAAP Test (at least one paragraph of at least five sentences, and
  4. What things could be changed in order to make this a better article in regard to the TRAAP test (at least one paragraph of at least five sentences).

Use APA format wherever this is relevant. You will not be graded on your use of APA format but you will receive feedback on this if you use it improperly. Note that to address some of the elements of the TRAAP Test, you will have to do some additional research beyond what is in the article (e.g. to see if there are other versions available, to comment about the source).

Outline (2-4 pages total):

  1. Summarize main points of article (1 paragraph)
    • At least a full paragraph of at least five sentences
  2. TRAAP test ratings (5 paragraphs)
    • Rate each TRAAP point on a scale of 1-5
    • Justify each rating
    • Address strengths and limitations on these points
    • At least a paragraph (of at least five sentences) for each TRAAP point
  • Overall judgement of article’s quality based on TRAAP test (1 paragraph)
    • At least a full paragraph of at least five sentences
  1. Things to be changed to make the article better (1 paragraph)
    • At least a full paragraph of at least five sentences

Some Ground Rules:

  • The assignment should be typed in Word, double-spaced with one-inch margins, and use 12 point font. All assignments will be due by midnight of the due date. No exceptions. The due date for each assignment is listed on the detailed instructions for the portfolio in Canvas. You are responsible for keeping track of when the assignments are due and for submitting them on time. All assignments must be submitted via Canvas. I do not accept assignments via e-mail unless Canvas is no longer accepting submissions, or if I have given you the opportunity to rewrite your paper. If you are new to Canvas, I urge you to submit your assignments well before the deadline, so that you can get help from USF IT Help.
  • The assignment should be submitted through Canvas. You will find the links for assignments under “Assignments” on the left-hand side of your screen in Canvas.
  • As you complete the assignments for your portfolio, please try to avoid using stereotypes to describe older adults (e.g., all old people are bad drivers; all older adults are senile). You can identify the challenges associated with growing older but try to also focus on the positive aspects of aging. I probably do not have to tell you this but just in case…While you have a lot of freedom in completing the assignments, please do not hand in material that is offensive. I want you to have fun with this assignment but please be respectful in your writing and in the articles/websites etc. that you choose to focus on.
  • Be a critical thinker as you explore information via the web. Remember, the fact that it has been published does not make it true.
  • Plagiarism will not be tolerated and will result in a failing grade for your portfolio project (see syllabus for details on my policy on academic dishonesty) and can lead to an FF in the course and even dismissal from the university. To avoid plagiarizing, you should: 1) write your own assignments, 2) give credit when citing information from other sources (lectures, textbook, websites, newspaper etc.) by including the name of the source in parentheses as part of the sentence, and 3) when citing information from other sources put the information in your own words. I highly recommend that you take notes when you read information, and write a draft without the source in front of you, to avoid unintentionally plagiarizing.
  • In some cases, at my discretion, I may deduct points for minor plagiarism. This will usually drop a grade on a paper by at least one letter grade. I may also allow a student to rewrite a paper that includes major plagiarism if I detect plagiarism that I believe is due to carelessness. If I do so, the student may be required to meet with me to review the paper. If I allow a rewrite, the student will receive a penalty of at least two letter grades. As part of this, the student may also be required to write a satisfactory essay on the topic of plagiarism. Failure to properly rewrite the paper or to write a satisfactory essay on plagiarism will result in a zero on the assignment.
  • DO NOT USE LENGTHY OR FREQUENT QUOTATIONS FROM YOUR SOURCES! In the past I have had a number of students who do not do the hard work of paraphrasing, or putting information into their own words. Their papers read like a “patchwork of quotations” instead of a paper based on original work and thought. I know that students do this to technically avoid plagiarism, but it is terrible writing! As you read research articles throughout the semester, you will see that these articles rarely use quotes. Because this is such a frequent problem, I am going to set an arbitrary limit of ten words being within quotation marks within a paper. Any more than this will lead to lowered grades. The best papers will have NO quoted material. Part of what you must learn to develop your writing is to paraphrase, which requires understanding the material enough to do so.
  • Please note: Your grade will be based both on the content (ability to follow directions) and quality of your work. Be sure to be careful with your writing. Avoid errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation. You should start with an outline, write several drafts and proofread your work. Use professional language, not slang. I have found that many students have trouble with use of apostrophes. Here is a quick guide you can use as a resource: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/621/01/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Links to an external site.) One great resource that students have at USF is the Writing Center: http://www.lib.usf.edu/writing/ (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Links to an external site.)Links to an external site. (Links to an external site.) If you think you could use help with your writing, make an appointment with them early in the semester. I will provide extensive feedback on the Portfolio papers, and may advise you to seek additional training on your writing if I see problems and concerns.
  • If your submission is too short you risk losing points for not being thorough. I suggest that you be sure to submit papers that fit at least the minimum length specified, both for the overall paragraph and for the individual elements.

RUBRIC FOR GRADING PORTFOLIO ASSIGNMENT #1

  1. Excellent – the student’s work shows active mastery of the subject. Not only does the student understand the concepts and information in various readings but can also integrate information and concepts across areas. The work shows creativity and original thinking. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling are correct, and the writing is clear and well organized. Instructions are followed accurately.
  2. Good/Strong – the student’s work shows basic mastery of the subject. (S)he understands the concepts and information presented and communicates this in his/her own words. The work is solid, but not original or creative. There may be one or two minor spelling, punctuation, or grammatical errors, or the organization of the paper may be slightly unclear. There may be a minor lapse in following instructions.
  3. Satisfactory – the student’s work in general shows understanding of basic concepts and information, but has occasional lapses. The work shows satisfactory, but incomplete mastery of the subject. There may be several serious errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Organization may be hard to follow. Instructions may not not always followed.
  4. Poor/Unsatisfactory – the student’s work shows enough understanding of the subject to be just barely adequate. The work shows major gaps in understanding. There may be several serious errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Organization may be poor. Attention to the detail of the instructions may be poor.
  5. Fail – the student’s work is unacceptable. Although there may be some understanding of the subject, his/her understanding is so incomplete that it does not satisfy the learning requirements of the assignment. The work shows major gaps in understanding. There may be major errors in grammar, punctuation, or spelling. Organization may be poor. Basic elements of the instructions may not have not been followed.

The TRAAP Test: Evaluating Information

Timeliness: The “newness” of the information

  • When was the information published or posted?
  • Have there been new versions or editions since this was published?
  • How quickly does new research for this topic come out?
  • Does new research expand upon or replace old information for this topic?

Relevance: The depth and importance of the information for you

  • Does this source help answer your question? Does only part of it help?
  • Is it covering all aspects of your topic or only parts?
  • How detailed is the information? Is it too basic for your needs? Too advanced?

Authority: The source of the information

  • Who is the author? What can you find about her in the source itself or through a web search?
  • Is the author a professor or other expert? Does she have a degree related to the topic? Has she written on the topic previously?
  • Is the author drawing from her own personal experience?
  • Has the information been reviewed in some way, such as by an editor, fact checker, or through peer review? Was it self-published or posted on a personal site?

Accuracy: The reliability and correctness of the information

  • Where does the information come from?
  • Does the author cite other sources? What does she cite?
  • For websites, did the author provide links to other sources? Do the links still work?
  • For studies, experiments, and other original research, does the author explain the methods she used to find her results?
  • Does the information in this resource agree with other resources you have found and your own personal knowledge?

Purpose: The reason the information was created

  • Why did the author publish this source? Is she looking to inform, teach, advocate, sell, or entertain?
  • Who is the intended audience? Is this designed for general readers or academic readers?
  • What political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, personal or other perspectives does the author have?
  • What perspectives are not included within this resource, especially less privileged perspectives?
 
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