Use the CRAAP Test to check your sources: Are they reliable?

CURRENCY

  • How recent is the information?
  • Are web links current and working?
  • Can you locate a date when the content was written/created/updated?
  • Based on your topic, is it current enough?

RELEVANCE

  • What kind of information is included in the source?
  • Is it scholarly? (Valid for research) Or popular? (Not as valuable for research)
  • Is the vocabulary easy to understand
  • Does it meet the criteria of your assignment?

AUTHORITY

  • Who is the author? Can you name it?
  • Is there information a that indicates the author is credible? (What are the credentials?)
  • Does the author provide reputable citations?
  • Who is the publisher of the source? (Who is responsible?)

ACCURACY

  • Are facts verifiable?
  • Does the information seem accurage and agree with other sources?
  • Are there spelling and grammar errors?
  • Are there obvious factual mistakes?

PURPOSE

  • What is the motive of the source author or publisher?
    (Educational, commercial, promotional, research?)
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • Does the source seem biased?
  • Are there ads in the source?