When you are evaluating the validity of a source, use the CRAAP test to check its currency, relevancy, authority, accuracy, and purpose.
Currency
• When was it published or posted?
• Has is been revised or updated?
• Does it have any broken or missing links?
Relevancy
• Does it relate to your topic or answer your question?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Is it written at an appropriate level (i.e. not below or above your needs)?
• Have you looked at a variety of sources?
Authority
• Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
• Are the author’s credentials or organizational affiliations given?
• What are the author’s qualifications to write on the topic?
Accuracy
• Where does the information come from?
• Is it supported by evidence?
• Has it been reviewed or refereed?
• Can you verify any of it in another source or from personal knowledge?
• Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion?
• Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?
Purpose
• What is the purpose of the information? to inform? teach? sell? entertain? persuade?
• Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
• Is it fact? opinion? propaganda? objective? impartial?
• Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?
