CRAAP Analysis: Authority This tutorial focuses on the Authority of a source.

CRAAP Analysis: Authority Determine: Who is the author/creator/sponsor? Is this person or entity an authority on the topic? A key part of evaluating information is to determine who is responsible for it. In addition to a name, you will want to take into consideration the person’s credentials, such as educational background and experience. Occasionally, the name of an individual will not be provided. In those cases, look for an editor or the name of an organization which is responsible for the content. The underlying point to this component is to determine if the author or authors are authorities or experts on the topic. The more knowledgeable the persons are, the more reliable the information should be. Authority

Sources Books: Articles: Websites, Wikis, Blogs How do you begin to evaluate authority for different types of resources? Books: Authors’ names are usually provided. Occasionally, an author may be an organization, such as the American Psychological Association. Biographical information or a book review can help you determine an author’s credibility and knowledge of the topic. Occasionally, a book will include a brief biographical sketch of the author somewhere on the cover to help you learn something about the author. Articles: Generally speaking, authors of articles in journals or magazines are listed and any affiliation with an academic institution, company, or other institution may be provided. If not, they may be written by professional journalists who work for the publication. Websites: Anyone can create a website, and generally speaking, anyone can post information on a Wiki or blog. You may not know who is responsible for the information, not to mention his or her credentials. Authority

For instance, here is a website with an article on the health risks of pipe smoking that appears to be written by an MD, which stands for “medical doctor”. But, since we know anyone can create a webpage and list themselves however they chose, I’d question the validity of this author. Is this a real person? Is he truly a medical doctor? Is he affiliated with a hospital or university? Can I verify these affiliations? Authority

At the bottom of the page, we read that Dr At the bottom of the page, we read that Dr. Beale is a psychiatrist who lives in Charleston, SC. That is all the information that is provided. There is no apparent way to contact Dr. Beale to verify his existence or to comment on his information. Signs that point to the validity of information about an author not only have reliable ways to contact the person, but may also have links to a board of directors or some sort of entity with which they are affiliated. Without these, I would begin to doubt the “authority” of the author. Authority

In this sample site, you can read this question about the risks of pipe smoking and lung cancer posed by an individual. The “expert” who answers the question is listed, along with her credentials (she is also an MD). We see that she is a medical oncologist at the Abramson Cancer Center at the Univ. of Pennsylvania. An oncologist is a medical doctor who specializes in the care and treatment of people with cancer. Her name is also linked to a form which can be used to email her. A photo of Dr. Campling is also provided in this link. The multiple ways of contacting and verifying Dr. Campling’s existence and credentials add to the “authority” of this information resource. Authority

Also, this site has a link on the left side of the page to an editorial board, all of whom are medical doctors or nurses. An editorial board or a board of directors indicates that a group of experts oversees the contents, which contributes to the overall authority of the information. Authority

Authority Clues: Author, creator or sponsor indicated? Credentials? Contact information? To summarize, ask yourself these questions to help determine the “authority” of an information resource: Is the author, creator, sponsor of the information indicated? Do the credentials, if provided, match the areas or topics covered in the source? Is contact information provided, such as an address, phone number, or email address? Authority