On the Internet, anyone can find a wealth of information on just about any topic. The challenge comes in selecting appropriate and reliable sources. Just because a web page comes up first on a Google search does not mean it is an appropriate or reliable source of information.
Given that all sources are not created equal, learning to evaluate critically is an important part of the research process. Use the videos, checklists and vetted websites found on this page to help you determine the authority and accuracy of sites you choose for your research.
The CRAAP Test* is a useful guide to evaluating resources. CRAAP is an acronym for the general categories of criteria that can be used to evaluate information you find. Use the CRAAP Test to decide if information is appropriate for your research!
C: Currency
R: Relevance
A: Accuracy
A: Authority
P: Purpose
Print out or make a copy of ths CRAAP worksheet to help you evaluate your sites
To find out more about an author:
Google the author's name or dig deeper in the library's Biography in Context database.
To find scholarly sources:
When searching library databases, look for a checkbox to narrow your results to Scholarly, Peer Reviewed or Peer Refereed publications.
To evaluate internet sources:
The internet is a great place to find both scholarly and popular sources, but it's especially important to ask questions about authorship and publication when you're evaluating online resources. If it's unclear who exactly created or published certain works online, look for About pages on the site for more information, or search for exact quotations from the text in Google (using quotation marks) to see if you can find other places where the work has been published.
