Evaluating Information The CRAAP Test

When you search for information, you’ll easily find a lot of it…but is it good information? That’s up to you to decide, and the CRAAP Test can help you. Ask yourself the following questions to determine if your information source is worth using. (Please note that some questions apply to web sources only, and remember that not every question will be important for every topic or question you have.) Introduction

During this presentation, we’ll be practicing using the CRAAP Test by imagining we are evaluating sources for a project about concentration camps in Germany during World War II. Let’s imagine…

 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 any links functional? CRAAP

 Old books could be just as useful as new websites  Items created during World War II might be really useful

 Does the information relate to your topic or answer your questions?  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 deciding to use this one?  Would you be comfortable citing this source in your research paper? CRAAP

 If you were interested in American prisoners-of-war in concentration camps, you wouldn’t look for information about Jews in concentration camps  A book or website that is written for children wouldn’t include much of the information or the pictures intended for adults

 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 address?  Does the URL reveal anything about the author or the source? (Examples:.com.edu.gov.org.net) CRAAP

 A psychologist could talk a lot about how concentration camp experiences affect people’s minds  Concentration camp survivors could talk about how the experience affected them personally

 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? CRAAP

 A book or article written by a scholar who did research using original documents will 1)have lots of accurate data 2)have been reviewed by other scholars before it was published 3)stick to the facts and not be very emotional  Sometimes these things are less important—you may want emotional stories and not need accurate facts if you’re interested in survivor’s stories

 What is the purpose of the information—to inform, teach, sell, entertain, persuade…etc.?  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? CRAAP

 The information that German newspapers and American newspapers published will be different because their editors and readers had very different opinions  Members of neo-Nazi political parties and concentration camp survivors both have strong personal ties to the story of Germany during World War II and this may bias their stories

It’s important that you learn how to judge information sources for yourself, and not just for your schoolwork. Lots of people want to convince you that what they say is the truth, and you need to carefully evaluate what they say before you agree with them. Use your best judgment