ENGL 097 English Express (Frye)

CRAAP Test - General Source Evaluation

Maybe it was easy to find, but is it good? 

Assess: Does this information belong in my academic project or is it .... CRAAP?

 

 

Currency

  •  How recent is the information?
  •  If a website, how recently has it been updated?
  •  Is it current enough for your topic? (Is this a  field with rapidly changing information?)

 

Reliability

  • Is content of the resource primarily opinion? Is  it balanced?
  •  Does the creator provide citations or sources?
  •  Can you verify the info elsewhere?

 

Authority / Accuracy

  • Can you find the credentials of the author or  creator of the information? (if a website - check the "about" page)
  •  If a website, is a known, objective organization responsible for the information (example: .gov, .org, .edu domains)?
  •  Are there obvious errors or typos?

 

Purpose / Point of View

Is the information fact or opinion?

  •  Who is the intended audience?
  •  Are there advertisements?
  •  Is the creator/author trying to:
    • Sell you  something?
    • Inform you?
    • Entertain?
    • Persuade?  
  •  What is the publisher’s interest (if any) in this  information? Can you determine if the publisher  has a political, religious, or other ideology to  promote?

 

Fact Checking Resources

Spotting Unreliable Sources

Source:"How to Spot Fake News, by FlackCheck.org, is licensed under a Standard YouTube License.

Fake News?

How to Spot Fake News from International Federation of Library Associations

Infographic courtesy of IFLA, 2017 (https://www.ifla.org/publications/node/11174)

How to Spot Fake News

(from IFLA)

Consider the Source - Click away from the story to investigate the site, its mission, and its contact info.

Read Beyond - Headlines can be outrageous in an effort to get clicks. What's the whole story?

Check the Author - Do a quick search on the author. Are they credible? Are they real?

Supporting Sources? - Click on links to other sources if given. Determine if the info given actually supports the story.

Check the Date - Reposting old news stories doesn't mean they're relevant to current events.

Is it a Joke? - If it is too outlandish, it might be satire. Research the site and author to be sure.

Check Your Biases - Consider if your own beliefs could affect your judgment.

Ask the Experts - Ask a librarian or consult a fact-checking site.