CRAAP test

Web site addresses:

.edu--college/university (GOOD) .gov--U.S. gov. site (GOOD) .com--commercial site .org--organization .mil--U.S. military site (GOOD) .net--network or computers .k12.us--public school (GOOD)

For: medicine, science, business, technology, and most social sciences the currency of the info. is CRUCIAL. No info. used should be older than:

3 years

CRAAP test stands for

C:currency R:relevance A:author A:accuracy P:purpose

Relevance:

how effectively the website communicates the info. to its intended audience (i.e.: general user? enthusiast? professional?). What does the website assume about the audience in terms of knowledge of and familiarity with the topic?

Author:

if there is no name (author or company name) on a website RED FLAG--don't use. Identify the author(s) by looking at a person--credentials, ed., position, expertise, etc. Organization--leaders, mission, "parent".

Bias:

is not a negative term it means that one has a certain perspective or point of view

Accuracy:

reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the info. content. Where was the info. coming from--a author experiment/observation or expert testimony? Spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors. Plagiarism?

Currency:

timeliness of the web page. (Gathered? Posted? Last revised?) Is the link functional and up to date? Is there evidence of newly added info. (i.e: "updates" or links).

Purpose:

why the site was created--enlighten, inform, promote an ideology. Bias? Tone? Is the site for profit?

Tone

writing style. is conveyed via word choice