CRAAP Test: Tips on Evaluating Sources

Currency: the timeliness of the information

• How recent is the information?
• Can you locate a date when the page(s) were written/created/updated?
• Based on your topic, is the information current enough?

Reliability: importance of the information

• What kind of information is included in the Web site?
• Is the content primarily fact, or opinion? Is the information balanced, or biased?
• Does the author provide references for quotations and data?
• If there are links, do they work?

Authority: the source of the information

• Can you determine who the author/creator is? is there a way to contact them?
• What are their credentials (education, affiliation, experience, etc.)?
• Who is the publisher or sponsor of the site? Are they reputable?

Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the information

• Is it accurate? Is it supported by evidence?
• Is the information balanced or biased?
• Was it peer-reviewed?
• Can you verify the information from another reliable source?
• Are there spelling, grammar, or typographical errors?
• Can you determine who the author/creator is? is there a way to contact them?

Purpose: the reason the information exists

• What's the intent of the Web site (to persuade, to sell you something, etc.)?
• What is the domain (.edu, .org, .com, etc.)?
• Are there ads on the Web site?
• How do they relate to the topic being covered (e.g., an ad for ammunition next to an article about firearms legislation)?
• Is the author presenting fact, or opinion? Who might benefit from a reader believing this Web site?
• Based on the writing style, who is the intended audience?