Evaluating Sources

You should watch through this CRAP video which walks you through how to evaluate sources. If you're confused and haven't watched that video, that means you haven't reviewed this information in as much detail as you should. Please review this guide: 14.1 - Review (and watch) Research Tips Lecture (and other guides)

The CRAP test is a method for evaluating research based on the following criteria: Currency, Reliability, Authority (and sometimes Accuracy) and Purpose/Point of View. Below are some questions to help you think about the credibility of your source. Essentially, in academic writing, you are entering into a conversation with other academics, researchers, etc, and you want to be sure that you have verifiable, accurate, and pertinent research so that your claims are viewed as valid and significant.

Before you even review this however, you should make sure you're not falling into a Fake News trap: https://researchguides.scc.losrios.edu/infodisorder SCC has a great guide to help you tell if the news is "fake" or not.

Ask yourself the following questions when evaluating research source materials:

Currency:

How recent is the information?
How recently has the website/information been updated?
Is the research current enough for the topic, or is it outdated?
Note: keep in mind that academic moves slower than us. So while you may see 2004 as dated because it's 15 years ago, that's relatively recent for academic. Whether or not your article is "current" also might depend on your topic. For a topic like social media, a source from 1999 would be outdated. But for a topic like citizenship in US territories, a 1999 source could still be beneficial. Use your critical thinking to determine whether or not the source is current.

Reliability and Relevance:

Make sure you've read the source so you can answer: What kind of information is included in the resource? Is it based on facts and statistics, or is it “padded” with large vocabulary but really has no substance? (You must read your source material closely)
Does the author provide references or research sources for data and/or quotations that they use? Does the author evaluate those sources, or does he/she use them at will without questioning the validity?
Is the article culturally, socially and politically relevant? With your topic in mind, does it relate to w hat you had intended to research?

Authority

Who is the creator/author? Google them!
What are his/her credentials? Does the author possess “authority” to speak and/or write about their topic? (For example, a doctor would not have the “authority” to talk about the field of education because he/she doesn’t have personal, relevant experience in the field of education, even though he/she would have plenty of experience in the medical field) Don’t assume just because an author has a Ph.D. or a distinguished title that they are a reliable resource for you and your purposes for writing.
Who is the publisher and/or sponsor of the research? Google them!
Is the author and/or publisher reputable?
What is the publisher’s interest (if any) in this information? Does it make sense that this particular publisher would endorse such research?
Are there advertisements on the website? If so, chances are it’s not a reliable source because it’s receiving its funding through private donors, which lends itself to biased information that is presented.

Purpose/Point of View:

Is the research source fact or opinion?
Is it biased? Just because it's biased doesn't mean it's bad. As previous students will tell you, I don't believe in objectivity. However, you want to think critically about how the author's personal judgements are at play in the writing.
Is the creator/author trying to sell you something?