CRAAP Test
Below are some criteria you can use to evaluate material (both print and digital, including news, media, and websites).
Currency
- When was the material produced?
- Does it exist in any other formats (e.g. a print document that was made available on the web)?
- Is it up to date?
- Has it been revised? If yes, when? Is it updated regularly?
Relevancy
- Is it related to the topic at hand?
- Does it answer any of your questions?
- Does it bring up new questions?
Authority
- Who created the material?
- Are they affiliated with any (other) relevant groups or organizations?
- Can you verify the credentials provided?
- Can you easily find information about the author online?
Accuracy
- Can you verify any statistics/data provided?
- What are the sources of any statistics/data provided?
- Are charts and tables clearly labeled and easy to read?
- Is there any information about the methodology used in gathering statistics/data provided?
Purpose
- What type of document is it? (Different types of documents each have their own purpose)
- Why was the material produced?
- What political biases are evident?
