19 Evaluating Sources: the CRAAP Test
Christopher Perkins
Download and/or print this chapter: What-is-Funny-Chapter 19
When searching for information and sources for your assignments, sorting through what you find can be challenging. How do you know you’re using the most appropriate sources? Use the CRAAP test to evaluate your sources on their Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. Depending on your topic or area of study, certain criteria may be valued differently, e.g., Currency of a source may be less important in a paper about Shakespeare than stem cell research.
| Currency |
When was the information published? Does your topic require current sources? |
| Relevance | Who is the intended audience of the source?
How does this source relate to your research question? |
| Authority | Who is the author and what are their credentials?
Are they qualified to write about this topic? |
| Accuracy | Is the source peer-reviewed?
Are the conclusions supported by evidence? Is the information correct? Can it be verified independently? |
| Purpose | Is the source objective or biased in some way?
Do the authors make their purpose clear? Does the source acknowledge potential bias or conflict of interest? |
Adapted from materials distributed by the TCC Library.
