ART 358: Web Design (Prof. Ozcicek): Evaluating Sources

Part of being a skilled researcher is knowing how to choose the best information for your topic. You don't want just any information, you want the most relevant, accurate, and impactful information. So how do you choose what information to use?

Just because you've found a website or video that mentions your topic, it doesn't necessarily mean it will be a good fit for your research paper. Use the CRAAP test to make decisions about whether a source is a good fit for you or not.

CURRENCY -  When was it created? Has it been updated? Is the information current and reliable?

RELEVANCY - Does it address your question? Does it have in-depth coverage of the topic?

AUTHORITY - Who is the author? Who is the publisher? Are they reputable?

ACCURACY - Are there multiple typos? Did they cite their sources? Is the language inflammatory?

PURPOSE - Is this fact or opinion? Why does this source exist? Is the author pushing an agenda or trying to sell you something?