The CRAAP Test was created by Sarah Blakeslee, of the University of California at Chico's Meriam Library. Her original text serves as the basis for this research guide and handout and is used with the kind permission of the Meriam Library.
You can use the CRAAP Test to properly assess how accurate and reliable a resource is - whether it is a scholarly article or an article shared on Facebook. Each component offers insight on how to evaluate the resource by examining:
| Currency | Currency can be more important in some fields, like science and medicine, than in some other fields, like those in the humanities, but having current information is usually recommended. Considering currency is important, though, so you are not using information that has been supplanted with new, better ideas and research. |
What is the date of publication? Does the source use recent information? Are the references and/or links current? Does currency matter for this topic? Why or why not? |
| Relevance | All of the sources you use in a project should be relevant to your topic. While you may not find the perfect source that exactly captures all of your ideas, the sources you use should be related in some way. If you are researching the SpaceX program, an article about founder Elon Musk's recent divorce is not relevant to your project. |
What aspect of your research question(s) does this source answer? Is the intended audience appropriate for academic research? Does this source provide a new perspective or piece of information? Is this source too technical or too general? |
| Authority | Authority lets us know that someone with expertise or experience in the topic is sharing their knowledge. Remember, though, that authority is contextual. Having a Ph.D. in Astronomy would not give someone authority to write about the impact of music therapy on children who have autism. The expertise or experience needs to be relevant to the topic. |
What credentials related to the topic at hand does the author have? Does the author have any relevant affiliations with a respected university or organization? What can you find about the author online? Has the author published on this subject before? Is the publication reputable? |
| Accuracy | Determining the accuracy of a source ensures that you are using information that is supported and free from errors. |
Does the source contain any false information or errors? Does the source use reputable sources to support the claims made? Has the source gone through peer review? Are any research methods used well-designed and are conclusions from the research supported by the evidence? Does this source align with other sources that discuss this topic? Does the information seem complete, or are facts missing? |
| Purpose | Sources may be written to entertain, inform, persuade, or some other purpose. Understanding the purpose helps us to see if there are any biases or underlying motives that may affect the way the information is presented. |
Is this information clearly biased in one way or another? Why did the author or creator decide to share this information? Does this source present multiple points of view on the topic? Is the language used meant to evoke a strong, emotional response? |
Source: Gomburg Library Duquesne University https://guides.library.duq.edu/informationevaluation/CRAAP
Examining the URL (address) of a web site can give clues to the authority of a source. One part of the URL's domain is the host, a two- or three-letter suffix indicating the type of domain:
Two letter domains refer to the country the website is registered in. Here are some examples:
These clues can help you evaluate a web page.
This Wikipedia page lists the different types of domains and a list of country codes.
From the Oregon School Library Information System via youTube
From the David L. Rice Library,
Southern Indiana University