The CRAAP Test is a tool you can use to evaluate potential sources.
Currency: The timeliness of the information.
- When was the information created? (A publication or posting date)
- Has the information been revised/updated?
- Is the information out-of-date for your topic?
- Are the links still working?
Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.
- Does the information relate to your topic?
- Who is the intended audience?
- Is the information presented at the right level? (not too elementary or too advanced)
- How does it compare to other sources available to you?
Authority: The source of the information
- Who is the author?
- Who is the publisher/sponsor?
- Are the author's credentials and/or organizational affiliations given?
- What are the credentials and/or affiliations?
- What qualifies the author to write on the topic?
- Is there contact information? (a publisher or an email address)
Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the information
- Where does the information come from?
- Is there evidence used to support the information?
- Has the information been reviewed/refereed?
- Can you verify the information from another source or from personal knowledge?
- Does the tone of the writing seem biased or free of emotion?
- Are there spelling, grammar, or other errors?
Purpose: The reason the information exists
- Why was this written/created? (to inform? teach? sell? entertain? persuade?)
- Do the authors/sponsors make their purpose clear?
- Is the information fact. opinion, or propoganda?
- Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
- What sources of bias are present, and does the author mention how they tried to mitigate them?
