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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 Test

The following infographic summarizes the key criteria used in evaluating sources using the CRAAPO test.

The CRAAPO Test by Elaina Fisher

CRAAPO banner image

 

What is CRAAPO?

The CRAAPO test is a method used to evaluate the reliability and credibility of information sources. It consists of the following key criteria:

  • Currency – How recent is the information?
  • Relevance – How well does the information fit your needs?
  • Authority – Who is the source of the information?
  • Accuracy – Is the content reliable and correct?
  • Purpose – Why does the information exist?
  • Objectivity – Is the source biased?

The CRAAPO test is one method commonly used in academic settings to help students and researchers critically assess books, articles, websites, and other resources.

Take a look through the resources on this page to learn more about the key criteria and how they can help you critically evaluate information. Also,check out the Source Evaluation Rubric for a step-by-step evaluation tool.

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.

 

CRAAPO Video Overview

 

CRAAPO Key Criteria

Explore the tabs below for detailed information about the key criteria used in the CRAAPO test and how to apply them to your source.

Currency

Evaluating a source by currency means that you are asking: Is the content presented current enough for my project?

Ask yourself:

  • When was the information created or last updated? The publication or revision date should be prominently displayed.
  • For online sources, are the links functional?
  • Is the information up-to-date for your research topic? Consider if your research calls for the use of very current sources (such as medical or technology topics) or if older sources would also be appropriate (such as historical research). A decades-old publication date may not necessarily mean it is out-of-date for your research question!

Where to look:

Library Database Sources and Print Sources

  • Date of publication (could be inside front cover of a book, on the detailed record of a resource, on the PDF of an article, etc.)

Websites

  • Look for the last date updated (could be anywhere on the webpage, often at the bottom)
  • Date of publication (if an article or blog from a website--could be near the title/author information)

What to avoid:

  • Sources that have been published more than 5 years ago (unless doing research on a topic that allows for or requires examination of older materials). Check with your instructor if you are not sure how current your sources should be!
  • Websites with no "Last Updated Date," or with no updates in the past year.

Relevance

Evaluating a source by relevance means that you are asking: Does it answer your question or contribute to your research?

Ask yourself:

  • Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
  • Who is the intended audience and is it appropriate for your research? Examples include academic, general audience, etc.
  • Is the information at an appropriate level (not too simple/not too advanced)?
  • How many sources have you found? Have you searched thoroughly enough to find the most relevant sources available?
  • Does the source meet the parameters of your assignment? Would you be comfortable citing this source in your research project?

Where to look:

Library Database Sources and Print Sources

  • Read the abstract, summary, or table of contents
  • Scan the full text of the source
  • Examine subject terms and keywords associated with the source
  • Look at sources beyond the first page of search results

Websites

  • Read the abstract, summary, or table of contents (if available)
  • Scan the full text of the source
  • Look at sources beyond the first page of search results

What to avoid:

  • Sources that provide minimal usable content for your research
  • Sources that provide content which is too broad or too narrow for your research

Authority

Evaluating a source by authority means that you are asking: Does the author have expertise on the topic about which he/she is writing?

Ask yourself:

  • Who is the author? Are they a subject expert on the topic? What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations?
  • Is the author the original creator of the information?
  • Is the source sponsored or published by a reputable organization or institution?
  • For websites, what does the URL reveal about the author or source? For example: .com, .org, .edu, .gov

Where to look:

Library Database Sources and Print Sources

  • Examine or look up the author's credentials and affiliations
  • Try to find more sources written by the author(s) and examine them - are they scholarly or otherwise reputable?
  • Look for the author's contact information.
  • Examine the publisher's credentials.

Websites

  • Examine or look up the author's credentials and affiliations.
  • Try to find more sources written by the author(s) and examine them - are they scholarly or otherwise reputable?
  • Look for the author's contact information​.
  • Examine the domain extension (i.e. .com, .edu)

What to avoid:

  • Authors who have no credentials or affiliations, no expertise on the topic
  • Personal websites. These are usually indicated by the text (e.g. "Personal Homepage Of..."), by specific characters in the web address (e.g. the use of a tilde ~), or by a username in the web address (e.g. ~jsmith).

Accuracy

Evaluating a source by accuracy means that you are asking: Is the information provided correct?

Ask yourself:

  • Has the source been edited or peer-reviewed?
  • Has the author supplied a list of references for their work? Does the list of references include scholarly sources?
  • Is the information provided verifiable? What does this source offer compared to other sources?
  • Is the language or tone opinion-based, or does it contain facts and statistics?
  • Does the source include spelling or grammatical errors? Is the source logical, well organized, and professional in appearance?
  • Is the information crowd-sourced or vulnerable to changes by other authors or non-experts (e.g. Wikipedia or another public wiki)?

Where to look:

Library Database Sources and Print Sources

  • Read the source's reference list (if available)
  • Find out more about the publisher, journal, etc. via their websites, information provided with the source, etc.
  • Examine the source in full text (PDF or original print is preferable) for errors, organization, opinions, etc.

Websites

  • If using an article or blog on a website, read the reference list (if available)
  • Look at the "About Us" section of the website to find out more about the website's author(s), affiliations, submission and editorial process, etc.
  • Examine the website and web pages you will be using for errors, organization, opinions, etc.

What to avoid:

  • Sources that have no reference list and/or that have not gone through any type of editorial or peer-review process (unless you are seeking non-scholarly materials)
  • Sources with a lot of grammatical or spelling errors
  • Sources that are vulnerable to changes by other authors or non-experts (e.g. Wikipedia)

Purpose

Evaluating a source by purpose means that you are asking: Why does this information exist?

Ask yourself:

  • What appears to be the purpose of the information -- to inform, teach, sell, entertain, public services, or persuade?
  • Are there any advertisements?
  • Why is the author/creator providing this information?

Where to look:

Library Database Sources and Print Sources

  • Read the abstract, summary, or table of contents for the source
  • Scan the full text of the source - look for facts, statistics, advertisements, etc.
  • Examine or look up the author's and publisher's affiliations
  • Examine or look up other works written or published by the author/publisher

Websites

  • Read the abstract, summary, or table of contents for the source (if available)
  • Scan the full text of the source - look for facts, statistics, advertisements, etc.
  • Examine or look up website's or author's affiliations
  • Examine or look up other works written or published by the author/website
  • Examine the domain extension (i.e. .com, .edu)

What to avoid:

  • Sources that are primarily opinion-based, with few facts or statistics (unless you are seeking biased sources)
  • Sources that are primarily concerned with selling a product (unless you are seeking biased sources)

Note: It may be okay to use information from sources that contain strong arguments or opinions, but it is always a good idea to acknowledge the author's view.

Objectivity

Evaluating a source by objectivity means that you are asking: Is this information biased?

Ask yourself:

  • What point of view does the author represent? Is the source arguing for or against something? Does the source contain mostly factual information or is it opinion-based?
  • What institution (company, organization, government, university, etc.) supports this information?
  • Does the institution appear to exercise quality control over the information appearing under its name?
  • Does the author's affiliation with this particular institution appear to bias the information?

Where to look:

Library Database Sources and Print Sources

  • Read the abstract, summary, or table of contents for the source
  • Scan the full text of the source - look for facts, statistics, advertisements, etc.
  • Examine or look up the author's and publisher's affiliations
  • Examine or look up other works written or published by the author/publisher

Websites

  • Read the abstract, summary, or table of contents for the source (if available)
  • Scan the full text of the source - look for facts, statistics, advertisements, etc.
  • Examine or look up website's or author's affiliations
  • Examine or look up other works written or published by the author/website
  • Examine the domain extension (i.e. .com, .edu)

What to avoid:

  • Sources that are primarily opinion-based, with few facts or statistics (unless you are seeking biased sources)
  • Sources with affiliations known for promoting a certain viewpoint (unless you are seeking biased sources)

Note: It may be okay to use information from sources that contain strong arguments or opinions, but it is always a good idea to acknowledge the author's view.

Additional CRAAPO Resources