Not all websites were created equal. When determining how or if you should use a specific website in your work, run it through the CRAAP test. Does the site pass the test, or is it a bunch of...?
- Currency
- How recent is the information? Can you find a publication date?
- Is it current enough for your topic?
- Relevance
- How does the information included relate to your topic?
- Was the information written for a general or a scholarly audience?
- Authority
- Who is the creator or author? It might be an individual, an organization, or both.
- What are the author's credentials? I.e., what makes the author qualified to discuss this topic?
- Who is the publisher? What is the publisher's interest (if any) in this information?
- What is the site's domain?
Accuracy
- Where does the information come from? Are there citations or references to back up claims?
- Has the information been peer-reviewed?
- Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
- Are there grammar, spelling, or other errors on the page?
- Purpose/Point of View
- Is this fact or opinion?
- Is it biased?
- Is the creator/author trying to sell you something?
Credit: The CRAAP test was developed by the Meriam Library, California State University, Chico
