The CRAAP Test!

Before using an online source for your paper, be sure to evaluate it. 
Does it meet the qualifications of a quality, scholarly resource?

Check for:

Currency: the timeliness of the information

• When was the information published or posted?
• Has the information been revised or updated?
• Is the information current or out-of date for your topic?
• Are the links functional?

Relevance: the importance of the information for your needs

• Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
• Who is the intended audience?
• Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
• Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
• Would you be comfortable using this source for a research paper?

Authority: the source of the information

• Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
• Are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations given?
• What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations given?
• What are the author's qualifications to write on the topic?
• Is there contact information, such as a publisher or e-mail address?
• Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source?
  examples: .com (commercial), .edu (educational), .gov (U.S. government), .org (nonprofit organization), or .net (network)

Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content, and

• Where does the information come from?
• Is the information supported by evidence?
• Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
• Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
• Does the language or tone seem biased and free of emotion?
• Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?

Purpose: the reason the information exists

• What is the purpose of the information? to inform? teach? sell? entertain? persuade?
• Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
• Is the information fact? opinion? propaganda?
• Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
• Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?

If you use the tips on the Online Databases tab, much your evaluation work is already done for you: you will only see scholarly sources in your search results. You can save yourself trouble by sticking to Peer-Reviewed sources.

What does peer-reviewed mean? It means that experts in the field gave feedback on a paper before it was published. Typically, articles published in scholarly journals are peer-reviewed and of the highest quality.

Some hints:

Peer-reviewed sources are usually...

• full of references because scholars always back up their argument. Look for a bibliography or works cited page!
• published in academic journals like The Journal of Modern Literature and NOT in magazines or newspapers, like Reader's Digest or The Washington Post.
• written by professors so check to see if the author is affiliated with any universities or colleges.

What is NOT a peer-reviewed source?

• Plot summaries, overviews, synposes
• Book reviews
• Magazines (even literary ones)
• Biographies
• Primary sources, e.g. the literature itself (short stories, novels, & poetry)