CRAAP Test

The CRAAP Test is a practical assessment tool used to help determine the objective reliability of information sources. The term "CRAAP" is an acronym that stands for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. First developed by Sarah Blakeslee and a team of librarians at California State University, Chico, in 2004, the test was primarily designed to aid users in the critical evaluation of online information sources. Using the CRAAP test makes it easier for students and educators to reach a better understanding of whether or not a particular source is trustworthy and thereby reduce their chances of basing their research on faulty information.

Generally judged to be of sound academic value, the CRAAP test is commonly utilized by university librarians in their efforts to educate first-year students about the importance of evaluating sources and finding reliable information online—a critically important skill required when conducting research and writing papers.

Background

The CRAAP Test was designed to aid students and others with the important task of evaluating sources, which is a critical step in the process of authoring a research paper. In short, evaluating sources means taking the time to carefully determine whether or not the information gathered while researching is truly credible and worthy of inclusion. This is a particularly important skill when it comes to conducting research on the Internet, where information is plentiful, but not always reliable. For that reason, it is of the utmost importance—both when writing a research paper and in general—to know how to recognize credible sources and discard those of questionable standing.

When evaluating sources, it is important to remember that sources can be categorized in different ways. For example, they can be categorized as either scholarly or popular. Scholarly sources are those written by well-qualified experts and subjected to an exhaustive publication process often involving peer review and a list of references. These sources are also typically intended specifically for a more educated audience composed primarily of other experts on the subject. Popular sources may not be written by experts and are meant for a more general audience. Most of these sources are not peer reviewed and do not include a list of references. Sources can also be categorized as primary or secondary. Primary sources are firsthand or eyewitness accounts. Some examples of primary sources include autobiographies, letters, official documents, and statistical data. Secondary sources are comparatively removed from the subject. Examples of secondary sources include biographies, encyclopedia articles, and analyses of events that have already happened.

There several important steps to take when evaluating sources. The first of these is researching the author to determine whether or not they are a genuine expert on the topic. It is also helpful to read the introduction or preface if the source has one to learn about the author’s purpose. Another important step is to determine the intended audience of the source so as to gain insight into whether or not the source is appropriate for your research needs. It is also critical to develop a clear understanding if the information put forth in the source is fact, opinion, or propaganda. Other important steps include identifying the language used in the source, evaluating the evidence on which it is based, cross-checking the information it provides, assessing the source’s timeliness, and examining its references.

Overview

The CRAAP Test is a tool designed to make it easier to evaluate the reliability of sources. More specifically, it offers insight into a source’s credibility, authority, and effectiveness. The CRAAP Test accomplishes this by encouraging the user to carefully analyze sources in regards to their currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose. Originally developed by Sarah Blakeslee and a team of librarians at the California State University, Chico, in 2004, the test has largely come to be seen as a valuable asset for anyone writing research papers or other similar works.

The first component of the CRAAP Test is currency. As related to the test, currency is the question of when a source was published or produced. The date a source was created reveals important details about how current the information it contains is and how up to date the source is with the topic at hand. Analyzing the currency of a source is crucial to determining whether or not it is a primary source. Important indicators of currency include copyright and publication dates, edition numbers, and patent or trademark dates.

The next component of the test is relevance. In this context, relevance is the question of whether or not a source is sufficiently suitable to be used as such when writing about a given topic. Evaluating relevance means examining how much coverage of the topic a source provides, whether a source can be used to effectively support an argument, and if a source is generally appropriate for the purpose at hand.

Another component of the CRAAP Test is authority. Evaluating the authority of a source means determining whether the individual or organization responsible for the creation of the source is adequately knowledgeable about the topic. A source can only be considered reliable if it was produced by someone with credible expertise.

The accuracy component of the test is aimed at evaluating the truth of the information presented in a source. Determining the accuracy of a source means taking a close look at the references the source cites, the evidence it presents, whether it contains any biased language, whether there are spelling or grammatical errors, and whether the information it contains can be verified elsewhere.

The final component of the test is purpose. When evaluating the purpose of a source, it is necessary to think about why it was written in the first place. This requires taking a close look at whether the source is intended to inform, persuade, or entertain. It is also important to determine if the information provided by the source is based on fact or opinion. Examining the purpose of a source ultimately sheds further light on whether or not it is appropriate for use when writing a research paper.

Bibliography

Blakeslee, Sarah. “The CRAAP Test.” LOEX Quarterly, vol. 31, no. 3, 2004, commons.emich.edu/loexquarterly/vol31/iss3/4. Accessed 12 Aug. 2022.

Caulfield, Mike. “A Short History of CRAAP.” Hapgood, 14 Sept. 2018, hapgood.us/2018/09/14/a-short-history-of-craap. Accessed 14 Sept. 2022.

“The CRAAP Method.” Lumen Learning, courses.lumenlearning.com/englishcomp1/chapter/the-craap-method. Accessed 6 Sept. 2024.

CRAAP Test, craaptest.net. Accessed 6 Sept. 2024.

“CRAAP Test.” ModelThinkers, modelthinkers.com/mental-model/craap-test. Accessed 6 Sept. 2024.

“Evaluating Sources.” Purdue Online Writing Lab, Purdue University, owl.purdue.edu/owl/research‗and‗citation/conducting‗research/evaluating‗sources‗of‗information/index.html. Accessed 6 Sept. 2024.

Perkins, Kendra. “The CRAAP Test: An Easy & Fun Way to Evaluate Research Sources.” Medium, 25 Apr. 2016, medium.com/@RefME/the-craap-test-an-easy-fun-way-to-evaluate-research-sources-a2755126b6b2. Accessed 14 Sept. 2022.