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Capstone Experience: Evaluating your Sources

Miller Library's TRUE or FAKE guide

Web Resources

Harvard Guide to Evaluating Sources, Harvard University 

Evaluating Information Resources, University of Alaska Fairbanks

Science vs. Pseudoscience: A Checklist for Skeptical Thinking, MGH Institute of Health Professionals 

Web Literacy for Student Fact Checkers by Mike Caulfield 

 

Scholarly Versus Popular Sources

Anatomy of a Scholarly Article, North Carolina State University 

How to tell the Difference between Popular and Scholarly Sources*

*Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

Recommended Citation

Barbera, Jessica; Huff, Jim; Iannicelli, Christine; Sade, Marianne; and Martin, Samantha, "IMLS Sparks Ignite IL Framework Cooperative Project Teaching Materials: Scholarly vs. Popular" (2018). IMLS SPARKS Ignite IL Framework Cooperative Project for At-Risk Student Success in Smaller Colleges. 1.

https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/imls_ilframework/1

Checklist

The CRAAP Test: Questions to Help you Evaluate Information

Librarians from the Meriam Library, California State University, Chico, developed the CRAPP Test to help students evaluate information sources. As you conduct your research, consider these questions. If you determine that an information source is highly biased, inaccurate, unreliable, or simply irrelevant to your needs do not use it. 

Evaluation Criteria 

Key: * indicates criteria is for Web

Currency: The timeliness of the information.

  • When was the information published or posted?
  • Has the information been revised or updated?
  • Does your topic require current information, or will older sources work as well?
  • *Are the links functional? 

Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.

  • Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question? 
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
  • Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
  • Would you be comfortable citing this source in your research paper?

Authority: The source of the information.

  • Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor? 
  • What are the author's credentials or organizational affiliations?
  • Is the author qualified to write on the topic?
  • Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email address?
  • *Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source?

Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the content.

  • Where does the information come from? 
  • Is the information supported by evidence?
  • Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
  • Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
  • Does the language or tone seem unbiased and free of emotion?
  • Are there spelling, grammar or typographical errors?

Purpose: The reason the information exists.

  • What is the purpose of the information? Is it to inform, teach, sell, entertain or persuade?
  • Do the authors/ sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
  • Is the information fact, opinion or propaganda?
  • Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
  • Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional or personal biases?