Skip to Main Content
Accessibility Information

Evaluating Sources

This Library Research Guide will provide you with information that you can use to critically evaluate sources including websites, articles and reports, books and ebooks, etc.

CRAAPO: Source Evaluation Rubric

This rubric can help you use the CRAAPO test to evaluate whether a source is appropriate and reliable for your research or paper. It will guide you in identifying sources that best support your work, and in justifying your choices to your instructor.
 


How to use this Rubric:

  1. Enter information about the source at the top of the page, i.e. title, url, author, dates
  2. For each line, starting with Currency, read each box from left to right and choose the one that matches your source the best
  3. Enter the column number, 1-4 that corresponds to the box that matches your source the best in the right hand column
  4. Once every line has a number, tally the numbers in the right hand column and write the score at the bottom of the page

You must determine what is the lowest score you will accept. A typical acceptable score for a source to be used in a research paper for college is between 20 to 24.

C.R.A.A.P.O Source Evaluation Rubric
  ONE (1) TWO (2) THREE (3) FOUR (4) SCORE
Currency

No publish date listed; or no revisions in the last eighteen months*

No updates in the past year*

Updated in the last six months*

 Publish date included; or updated in the last three months*

 
Relevance Content is unrelated to your topic; or level is too simple or too advanced Content is either related and incorrect level, or unrelated and correct level Content is related, and at correct level, but you are not comfortable using the source in your research Content is related, and at correct level, and you are comfortable using the source in your research

 
Authority No author is listed, and no contact info provided No author is listed, but includes contact information Author is listed without credentials, or you are unsure if the author is the content’s creator Author is listed with credentials and is the creator of the information

 
Accuracy Information is not verifiable; Resources not documented Some resources are not documented; some links do not work* Most resources are documented; links work* Well organized source; Resources documented; links work*

 
Purpose A lot of advertising makes the content unclear Purpose is to sell, entertain, or persuade; Source contains a lot of advertising and bias Purpose is to inform and teach; Contains some advertising; Minimal bias Purpose is to inform and teach; Contains little advertising; Free of bias

 
Objectivity It is unclear what institution published and support the source Unclear if author has connection with a larger institution; Source is .com, .org, or other generic domain type* Source is supported by larger institution, but some bias is apparent It is clear the source was published and supported by a reputable institution; Free of bias

 
        TOTAL SCORE:
(of possible 24)

 

The CRAAPO test information presented has been modified with permission from the original work This link opens in a new window of Sarah Blakeslee (University of California at Chico, Meriam Library) under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License This link opens in a new window.