Guides & Tutorials: Conduct a Literature Review: Evaluate Popular Sources

Evaluate Popular (Non-Scholarly) Sources

Popular sources refer to magazines, newspapers, and social media. They are not peer-reviewed, but they help you quickly build a general overview of a topic. How do you evaluate popular sources? To determine the trustworthiness of these sources, you can use the CRAAP test.

CRAAP Test

CRAAP test is a simple tool to help you evaluate information sources. It involves asking yourself a few questions across 5 key aspects to determine whether a source is suitable for your research or decision-making. Watch this video to learn how it works.

CRAAP - Quick Checklist

Criteria	Description	Questions
C - Currency	Timeliness of information	When was it published? Has it been updated? Does your topic need current information, or are older sources acceptable? Are the links functional?
R - Relevance	Contextual fit	Does it relate to your topic? Who is the intended audience? Is it at an appropriate level for your needs? (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs) Have you consulted various sources, before determining this is one you will use? Would you cite this in your academic research?
A - Authority	Source credibility	Who is the author/sponsor? What are their credentials or affiliations? Is the author qualified on the topic? Any contact information available? Does the website URL reveal anything about the source? .gov - a government site .edu - an educational site .com - a commercial sit .org - an organization site
A - Accuracy	Reliability of content	Where does the information come from? Is it supported by evidence? Has it been reviewed? Can you verify it through other sources or personal knowledge? Is the language or tone unbiased? Are there spelling or grammatical errors?
P - Purpose	Reason for existence	Do the authors make the intentions clear? What is the purpose? E.g. to inform, teach, sell, or persuade Is it fact, opinion, or propaganda? Is the viewpoint objective and impartial? Are there any biases? E.g. political, cultural, religious, personal biases

Modified based on Evaluating Information - Applying the CRAAP Test By Meriam Library, California State University, Chico

Crash Course - Navigating Digital Information

This Crash Course "Navigating Digital Information", presented by John Green, provides plenty of practical strategies and tips on evaluating the information we read online, including photos, videos, data/statistics and infographics. Check out the videos to learn more!