The CRAAP Test
Currency
- When was the information published or posted?
- Has the information been updated or revised?
- Does your topic require up-to-date information or will older sources work or perhaps even be preferable?
- Is there only one date for the entire website or do content pages have dates too?
- If on a website are the links still live or do they lead to dead or missing pages?
Relevance
- Who is the intended audience?
- Is the information at an appropriate level for your needs (i.e. not too basic or too advanced)?
- Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
- Is the information just summary of other perspectives or does it add its own content?
Authority
- Who is the publisher/author/source/organization?
- What qualifies this author/creator to provide this information?
- What credentials or affiliations does the author/creator have?
- Is there contact information where the publisher or author can be reached? (If a print or database source try doing a web search for the publisher/author to get more information)
- If on a website, what URL does the site use and what does that tell you about the source? (.com .edu .gov .org .net)
Accuracy
- Where does the information come from?
- Is the information supported by evidence?
- Are there any references?
- Is there a bibliography?
- Can you verify the information from another source?
- Are there spelling, grammar, or typographical errors?
- Is the language emotional or appear to be strongly biased?
Purpose
- What is the purpose of the information? Is it designed to entertain, inform, educate, sell, persuade?
- Is the intent of the information clear?
- Is the information fact or opinion?
- Does the point of view appear to be objective and impartial?
- Are the ads clearly separated from the information?
- What type of ads/images are included?
