Communication Studies Courses: Evaluating Sources: the CRAAP Test
The CRAAP Test
What's C.R.A.A.P?
Currency: When was the information published or last updated?
Relevance: What is the depth/coverage of info? Who is the intended audience? How well does the source answer your questions?
Authority: Who wrote the information? What are their credentials? Are they affiliated with a company? A non-profit? A university? **Look for a Contact Us or About Us page.**
Accuracy: Are there any citations? Do the links work? Where are the links going? Can you verify the information elsewhere?
Purpose: Does the website aim to teach? Inform? Sell? Entertain? Persuade? Is it .gov? .edu? .com?
CRAAP Test, what kind of test?
Analyzing an Article
- Applying the CRAAP TestUse this rubric to evaluate a source using the CRAAP test! Do this before you're read the whole article.
- How to Read a Scholarly ArticleUse this handout as a guide to critically reading a scholarly article! Use this as you read the whole article.
- Template for Analyzing the Logic of an ArticleUse this template to analyze the logic of an article after you've read the whole thing -- does the article make logical sense to you?