The internet is a vast source of information, with new content being added every day, hour, minute, second.  With just a few keystrokes, we have access to a nearly infinite number of websites, news, images, video, and more.  It can be easy to find yourself overwhelmed with too much information; a sense of uncertainty which sites are worth clicking on, and which ones may be inaccurate, incomplete, or outdated.  This is why it is important to know how to assess a website in order to determine if it is a credible source before using its content for your research paper or project.

That's where the C.R.A.P. Test comes in handy.  Follow these simple guidelines when evaluating a web source, and you should be able to answer for yourself if a website is credible enough, or if you should pass it by and find a more superior resource.

Currency: Is the information in the article/website recent?

• Depending on your chosen research topic, the recency of information can play a big part in determining if a source is credible or not.  For example, fast paced fields such as science or medicine often need very recent source material; often from within the last 3-5 years.
• Is your topic more historically based?  Is the resource being evaluated something that was published during or shortly after the event being researched?

Reliability: Where does the information originate from?  Does the information found within the resource apply to your topic?

• Is the source a primary source or a secondary source?
• Does the author list their references?
• Who published the article?  Are they a reputable publisher?
• Has the material been vetted through a peer-review process?
• Is the information in-depth, detailed, listing specifics about the topic, or is the information generic and vague, only using broad, generalized terms?
• Does the information present two or more sides of the topic evenly, or is there an imbalance of information?

Authority: Who is the author of the article or web source?

• Is the work credited to a specific author or group of authors, or is it posted anonymously?
• Is the author a corporation or other organization?
• Does the author list their credentials?

Purpose: What is the author's intent in publishing or posting this information?

• Does the information contain bias?
• Is the author's intent to inform, persuade, advertise, entertain, etc?
• Does the author gain any benefit or profit from writing about the topic?