CRAAP Test
Another strategy you can use to assure any information you use is credible is the Currency, Relevance Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose (CRAAP) Test. The CRAAP test is a list of questions that you can ask yourself to determine if the information you have found is reliable.
Currency – The timeliness of the information. Some questions to ask yourself to determine the currency of the information you have found are:
- When was the information created?
- Has the information been updated before?
- Based on your needs, is it out-of-date?
Relevance – The importance of the information based on your needs. Some questions to ask yourself to determine the relevancy of the information you have found are:
- Does the information relate back to your topic or answer your question?
- Is the information at the appropriate content level?
- Who is the intended audience?
Authority – The source of the information. Some questions to ask yourself about the source of the information you have found are:
- Are the author’s credentials or affiliations provided?
- Does the author’s background qualify them to write on the topic of the information?
- What does the URL reveal?
Accuracy – The reliability of the information. Some questions to ask yourself to determine the accuracy of the information you have found are:
- Does the information contain any references?
- Can you verify any of the information provided?
- Are the sources that are cited scholarly?
Purpose – The reason the information exists. Some questions to ask yourself about the purpose of the information you have found are:
- Is the information a fact or opinion?
- What is the purpose of the information (persuade, inform, entertain, etc…)?
Source
Blakeslee, S. (2010). Evaluating information–Applying the CRAAP test is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International, retrieved from http://www.csuchico.edu/lins/handouts/eval_websites.pdf
