Table 7

The CRAP test is a way to evaluate a source based on the following criteria: Currency, Reliability, Authority and Purpose/Point of View. Below are some questions to help you think about how to measure each of the criteria.

* Currency -

o How recent is the information?

o How recently has the website been updated?

o Is it current enough for your topic?

* Reliability -

o What kind of information is included in the resource?

o Is content of the resource primarily opinion? Is is balanced?

o Does the creator provide references or sources for data or quotations?

* Authority -

o Who is the creator or author?

o What are the credentials?

o Who is the published or sponsor?

o Are they reputable?

o What is the publisher's interest (if any) in this information?

o Are there advertisements on the website?

* Purpose/Point of View -

o Is this fact or opinion?

o Is it biased?

o Is the creator/author trying to sell you something?

Annotation:

The information is dated - aTTITUDES HAVE CHAnged since the Iraq War. Reliability - authors did an original study (not presenting opinions. They are credentialed scholars; source is peer-reviewed journal. Article is not biased. Study itself was limited in scope - most participants were undergraduate students.