Skip to Main Content

Arab-Israeli Conflict HIS 301: Evaluating Sources

CRAAP Test- Evaluating Resources

CRAAP TEST WORKSHEET 

Use the following worksheet to help you evaluate your sources. Score each of the main categories 1 to 10 (1 = Worst; 10 = Best). Check your scores with the key at the bottom.

Currency: the timeliness of the information

  • When was the information published or posted? 
  • Has the information been revised or updated?
  • Is the information current or out-of date for your topic?
  • Are the links functional?

Score:________

Relevance: the importance of the information for your needs

  • Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
  • Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
  • Would you be comfortable using this source for a research paper?

Score:________

Authority: the source of the information

  • Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
  • Are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations given?
  • What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations given?
  • What are the author's qualifications to write on the topic?
  • Is there contact information, such as a publisher or e-mail address?
  • Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source? For example:
    • .com (commercial)
    • .edu (educational)
    • .gov (U.S. government)
    • .org (nonprofit organization)
    • .net (network)

Score:________

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

  • Where does the information come from?
  • Is the information supported by evidence?
  • Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
  • Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
  • Does the language or tone seem biased and free of emotion?
  • Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?

Score:________

Purpose: the reason the information exists 

  • What is the purpose of the information? to inform? teach? sell? entertain? persuade?
  • Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
  • Is the information fact? opinion? propaganda?
  • Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
  • Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?

Score:________

 

 Total:________

45-50 Excellent

40-44 Good

 35-39 Average

 30-34 Borderline Acceptable

 Below 30 Unacceptable

Note: all credit for the CRAAP test goes to the librarians who developed it at Meriam Library at CSU Chico. 

US Government Information Resources

Foreign Relations of the United States (FRUS)-The official edited documentary record of U.S. foreign relations.  Broken down by presidential administration and geographic areas. Volumes released approximately 30 years after events.

Jan. 2015 State Dept.  (International Security Advisory Board) report on Status of Forces Agreements (SOFA)

National Archives State Dept. Central Files  1973-1979 (Raw transcripts of State Dept. telegrams)

USAID Explorer (U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) record of U.S. foreign economic assistance from 2001-2015.  See U.S. Overseas Loans and Grants (Green Book) for this data going back to 1945. (Also includes military assistance.)

CIA  Historic National Intelligence Estimates

Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA)  Facts Book and Fiscal Year Series (Defense Dept. agency recording U.S. military weapons sales)I

Energy Dept. Office of Scientific  and Technical  Information (OSTI):  Reports  on energy resources and science in the U.S. and internationally.

National Security Agency (NSA) Documents on USS Liberty Sinking during 1967 Arab-Israeli War

DOD Historians Office

House Appropriations Committee (See esp. subcommittees on defense, State Dept., and foreign operations)

HERE via Hathitrust Catalog

House Armed Services Committee

HERE via Hathitrust Catalog

House Foreign Affairs Committee

and HERE and HERE via Hathitrust Catalog

Senate Committee on Appropriations (see especially defense and State Dept., Foreign Operations Subcommittees)

Senate Armed Services Committee

HERE via Hathitrust Catalog

HERE via Hathitrust Catalog

Smithsonian Institution Freer and Sackler Galleries (Contain Mideast and East Asian arts)

Maps Arab-Israeli Wars 1948-1973 (Courtesy:  U.S. Military Academy)  Maps of Israel-Palestine Conflict (Courtesy:  British Broadcasting Corporation)

Congressional Research Service (Courtesy:  Library of Congress 2018-present)

Israel and the Palestineans:  Chronology of a Two-State Solution (May 31, 2019 CRS report)

CIA Mideast Maps (Courtesy:  Perrry-Castaneda Library University of Texas-Austin)

Combat Studies Institute Press publications on Arab-Israeli Wars (Produced by the U.S. Army's Command and General Staff College)

Institute for the Study of War (Non-governmental) Excellent source for information on current Mideast conflicts.

US Geological Survey (Does geological studies on global  regions and the U.S.)

Web Resources

International Crisis Group Non-governmental, non-partisan organization which was founded to analyze conflict and to advise governments and intergovernmental organizations on ways to prevent and resolve conflict.

Israeli-Palestinian Conflict Overview and Statistics By ProCon.org, a non-profit, non-partisan education website on a number of high controversy issues.

Global Conflict Tracker: Arab-Israeli Conflict The Council on Foreign Relations keeps up to date pages on global conflicts, including sections on background information, recent updates, and links to articles with more in-depth analysis.