Evaluating sources before you use them in a paper, project, or even in everyday life for your work or your own information is very important. Understanding who created the information, why, if it is biased, or if you can trust it is vital whenever you need information. The same applies when researching for school, work, or even buying a car. Teaching your brain how to think critically about information is a skill that you will need forever. Read on to learn more!
"The Dirty W's" is a quick way to pre-evaluate a source to determine if it is worth evaluating more deeply or for use in everyday life as a quick evaluation method. NOTE: This is NOT a replacement for a more in-depth evaluation of websites and internet sources used for academic research and college papers.
Whenever you find a source, ask yourself Who, When, and Why
| "W" | What "W" Means | Questions To Ask | What to Look For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who | Author / Creator |
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| When | Date of Publication, Creation, or Last Update |
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| Why | Purpose / Reason |
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You can use the Dirty W's (3 W's) as a quick pre-evaluation method to determine if sources are appropriate for your research. You can also use this method in your everyday life to become a responsible and effective consumer, producer, and transmitter of information.
For more information, check out these FAQs:
This rubric can help you determine if a source is a "good" source; one that is reliable to use in your research or paper. It can help you weed out "bad" sources and defend your "good" sources to your instructor.
The score you tally is out of 24 total points. You must determine what is the lowest score you will accept.
An acceptable score for a source to be used in a research paper for college is between 20 to 24.
| 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*. |
|
| Relevancy |
Content is unrelated to your topic -- and / or level is too simple / 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 -- You are unsure if the author is the creator of the material. |
Author is listed with credentials -- Is the originator of the information-- Contact information provided |
|
| 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 -- Bias free. |
|
| Objectivity |
It is unclear what institution published and support the source. |
It is unclear if author has any 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 -- Bias free. |
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| TOTAL SCORE: (of possible 24) |
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The C.R.A.A.P. Test was created by Sarah Blakeslee (University of California at Chico, Meriam Library). With her permission, this content was based off her original text with some modification.
