Evaluating Sources with the CRAP Test

Summary

This tutorial outlines the CRAP criteria for evaluating the quality of sources, including Currency, Relevance, Authority, and Purpose. It emphasizes checking publication dates for currency, ensuring the source's content matches research focus for relevance, assessing the author's credibility and source reliability for authority, considering the target audience, and understanding the author's purpose and potential bias. The tutorial guides users on how to discern between informative and persuasive sources, and suggests consulting a librarian for further assistance.

Takeaways

• 📅 Currency: Check the publication date to determine if the source is up-to-date for your research needs.
• 🔍 Relevance: Assess if the source's terminology and content align with your research focus.
• 🔗 Reliability: Look for references, citations, and external links to gauge the source's credibility.
• 🏛 Authority: Evaluate the author's or organization's expertise and credibility in the subject matter.
• 🌐 Domain: Consider the website's domain extension (.edu, .gov, .org, .com, .net) to understand the source's nature.
• 👥 Audience: Determine the intended audience of the source to understand its applicability to your research.
• 🎯 Purpose: Consider the author's or organization's purpose, whether it's to inform, persuade, or sell.
• 🤔 Bias: Be aware of any potential bias or slant in the source that may affect the information presented.
• 📚 Library Catalog: Utilize library catalogs to find publication dates and other relevant information about books.
• ❓ Ask a Librarian: Seek additional help from librarians for guidance on evaluating sources using the CRAP criteria.

Q & A

What is the acronym CRAP used for in evaluating sources?

The acronym CRAP stands for Currency, Reliability and Relevance, Authority and Audience, and Purpose and Point of View, which are the criteria used to evaluate sources.

Why is the publication date important when evaluating currency?

The publication date is important to determine if the source is current and relevant to a topic, especially for current news or rapidly changing subjects.

How can you assess the relevance of a source to your research?

You can assess relevance by looking for terminology that matches your research focus and checking if the source contains the necessary information.

What are some indicators of a source's reliability?

Reliability can be indicated by the presence of references, links provided in a website, and the absence of a specific bias or slant of opinion.

How can you determine the authority of a source?

You can determine authority by checking the author's credentials, the organization behind the source, and the website's domain extension.

What is the significance of considering the target audience when evaluating a source?

Considering the target audience helps in understanding if the information is suitable for your needs, whether it's for general public, students, professionals, or another group.

How does the author's purpose and point of view affect the evaluation of a source?

The author's purpose and point of view can influence the content's objectivity. It's important to discern if the goal is to inform, sell, or persuade.

What should you do if you need further help with the CRAP test and evaluating sources?

If you need additional help, you should ask a librarian for guidance on the CRAP test and source evaluation.

Why is it important to consider the domain extension of a website when evaluating its authority?

The domain extension can indicate the type of organization behind the website, such as .edu for educational institutions, .gov for government sites, and .org for non-profits, which can reflect the credibility of the source.

How can the presence of advertisements on a website affect its credibility?

Advertisements can detract from the content's credibility if they influence the information presented, suggesting a commercial bias rather than an objective stance.

What is the difference between a persuasive source and an informative source?

A persuasive source aims to influence opinions or actions, often with a bias, while an informative source focuses on providing factual and unbiased information.