English Composition LAN 101: Evaluating Sources

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• Is the information current or out-of date for your topic?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. 

Search Engines: Like Google, Bing, and Yahoo search the entire web, they sift through entertainment, news, social media, and information of all kinds. The results can include books, journal articles, and newspapers just like the library databases. However, unlike databases, many of the results are not free, and it is often difficult to decipher whether the materials are appropriate for college-level research. 

Library Databases: Have been created specifically for college research, and in LBC's case, the databases available to you were chosen by faculty and staff to fit your needs. Using the Library databases as well as the Library Search Box will allow researching over collections of journals, magazines, newspapers, books, and eBooks both scholarly and popular. Library databases also have powerful limiting options that can better specify the information you are seeking.