CRAAPaccessible.pdf_safe.pdf

What is CRAAP?
a guide to evaluating web sources

Currency
How old or new is the information?

When was the information
posted or last updated?

Are the links working?
If not, that means no one is
maintaining the website.

What is the copyright or
publication date?

Relevancy
Does it have the information you need?

Does the information relate to your
topic or answer your question?

Who is the intended audience?
Is it too simple or too advanced

for your purpose?

Authority
Is the author of the information

qualified and trustworthy?

Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
– Associations, agencies, affiliations, titles, credentials

Is the author qualified to write on this particular topic?
Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email
address, for further investigation?
Read the About Us, Our Mission, and FAQ sections of a site
Google the author for more information about the author
or organization.

Lo

ok
at

the domain for clues:

.com commercial business,
online retailer, for-profit

.net

educational institutions, universities,
schools

.edu

.gov government body (Fed, state, local)

.org organization not gov’t
affiliated, not-for-profit

networking tech originally, now
a “catch-all”







A
Is the inf

ccur
ormation accur

acy
ate and

unbiased?

 Is it supported by evidence you can check
and verify yourself?

 Is it objective and free of emotion?
 Are there errors in spelling, grammar,

or punctuation?

Purpose
Why was the information

created and shared?

Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or
purpose clear?

– Is the purpose to Inform? Persuade? Sell? Entertain

Is the information fact, opinion or propaganda?

Does the point of view appear objective & impartial?
What can the mission statement tell you?