Evaluating Resources - The CRAAP Test

 

The CRAAP test stands for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. 

Use these five things to evaluate information sources like websites to make sure you are working well, reliable data in your paper, and not CRAAP. 

“CRAAP” is an acronym for “Currency, Relevancy, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose.” Use "CRAAP" to evaluate information sources like websites to make sure you are working well, reliable data in your paper, and not CRAAP.

 The CRAAP Test is a list of questions to help you assess the information you find. Depending on your section or need, different criteria will be more or less valuable To check whether the content is valid or not only The CRRAP Evaluation is the best option. It consists of the 100% accuracy of any topic you like. 

What Does CRAAP Means?

Currency: 

 

The timeliness of the information Is currency important for your topic? Is it a science, technology, or health-related topic? Is the data current or out-of-date for your topic? When was the data published or posted? Has the data been changed or updated? Are the links working?

Relevance:

 

 

The value of the information for your needs Does the data compare to your topic or answer your question? Can you find similar or better information in different sources? Is it the type of data needed? 

Authority: 

 

The source of the information Who is the creator? Is it an individual or an organization? Are the creator’s credentials given? Can you determine the author’s age, level of expertise, etc.? Is the author changed to write on this topic? Is there contact information, address, or email? Does the URL reveal anything about the source or author? 

Accuracy:  

The reliability, honesty, and correctness of the content Where does the information come from? Is the information supported by evidence? Do they cite their sources? Has the information been peer-reviewed? Can you verify any of the information in another source or by your knowledge? Are there spelling, grammatical or typographical errors? 

Purpose:

The reason the information exists Is the resource supporting something that might cause preferences? 

Is the information fact, opinion, or propaganda? If it is an idea, is it based on logical thinking and good, credible evidence? Does the point of view look accurate and unbiased? Are there political, ideological, social, spiritual, institutional, or personal biases?

Assessing Sources Using the CRAAP

Test When you search the Web, you’re going to find a lot of information but, is it reliable? Use this course to help you discover this for yourself. Give your Website a number based on this point system. 

 

Currency

Is this the data you need for your topic? The site was created, revised, or updated within the last 2 years. If they are citing sources, they are also recent. 

 

The was created, revised, or renewed within the last 5 years. If they are referring to sources, they are also recent. There is no implication of when the site was created or renewed. The site was created above 5 years ago with no date specified for updating. 

Relevance

 Is this the information you need for your topic? It suggests my topic briefly, but not much else. Or it isn’t the type of information I need. Or it isn’t enough information. 

 

It presents some information, but it’s not very, or it’s not the right variety of information. It presents most of what I need, but I still need more or different types of information. It is on the subject, are the right amount of information and the right type of information.

Authority

 Locate the author or sponsor and Google the name to find out more. What else have they published on the topic? Are there any credentials for the person to place them as an expert? Is it the main group that provides information about your topic? 

 

There is no creator, or the author is possibly a student or an ordinary person writing on the Web without expertise. Or the method is unknown. Test errors show the author is not a specialist. The author is named but with no credentials. Or the organization is of doubtful authority. Web groups can name themselves with titles that sound like other reliable organizations. 

 

The author is named but the degree of expertise is not that high. or, the organization is well-known, but the degree of expertise on this subject is not clear. The author’s credentials are given and indicate that s/he is an expert. Or the institution is well-known and highly credible on the topic.

Accuracy

Are there any sources cited for the information? Are images/photos labeled ad credited? Information is provided with no evidence as to where it comes from. There is a dark reference to the information source. 

 

Assumptions must be made as to the source. There is a general statement about the source of the information, but not enough to locate it. There is a good list of sources that can be located. Images/photos are labeled and sources are given.

Purpose 

Is the information fact or opinion? Is it saying a point of view, selling an idea, service, or product? If you need opinions, then consider the author’s authority, their use of logic, and the requirement of proof for their opinions. 

 

The goal of the page is to give a biased point of view, sell or support an idea, service, or product. It is not a true or balanced point of view. The opinion is either not backed up with facts or the facts are changed. The purpose of the page is to trade pr promote something, but it also provides some good factual information. Or expressed opinion is moderately logical and gives some evidence. 

 

The purpose of the page is to teach or to offer the most accurate information. Or expressed opinion is reasonably presenting enough evidence for the opinion. The goal of the page is to provide information of a scholarly, academic, or at least high quality. Opinion evidence is factual, presented as numbers in charts, graphs, tables, or statistics or enough data for the opinion.