CNX 181: Mountains, Natural Resources, & Water

When you're looking at a website or other online source, it's important to remember that not all sources are equal in terms of quality or content. What could make a suitable source for one project, could be inappropriate for another. Always consult with your librarian or professor before using open online content. 

The questions below are a critical lens for you to use when evaluating web sources for your academic work. You don't have to answer every question, but try to cover all of the broader, bolded questions. 

Who?

• Who wrote the source? Can you find an author or authors listed on the site? 
• What kind of background does the author have? Try Googling their name - what other kinds of things have they written? 
• Is there an institution, organization, or corporate entity that is behind the website? What interests might they have? 

What?

• What is the source about? 
• How does the source's topic or content align with their mission and identity? 

When?

• When was the source written? 
• Can you find a date anywhere on the website, or on the particular article or source you're looking at? Remember, an "updated" date at the bottom of a webpage does not necessarily mean that all content was updated as of that time. 

Where?

• What is the URL of the website you're on? Sometimes, you can tell more about a website based on the end of it's address (e.g. .edu, .com, .net, etc). 

Why?

• Think back to the author of the source, if you found one. What possible motivation could they have for writing the source? 
• Does the source have a clear message? Does that message align with the author/websites' intentions? 

How?

• How did you find the source? 
• How is the source getting its message across? 

The top-level domain part of a web site's address can tell a lot about the legitimacy of the site

.edu - linked to an educational institution (though this domain can host personal web pages as well.)
.org - non-profit organizations or associations
.gov - a governmental department or agency, or government officials
.com - a commercial site, online service, or a for-profit organization
.mil - U.S. military organizations
.int- international organizations
.net - networking organizations

Look for citations, or some form of verification for the information presented on a web site.

The name and address of an author of a web site is reassuring, though this does not necessarily guarantee authority or legitimacy.
 

Once you have found a full source (online or print), use the CRAAP Test to determine if you should use it.

Currency   

When was the information published or updated? Are the references to other sources up to date? Does currency matter for your topic?

Relevance/Coverage  

Is this source relevant to your research question? Does the source meet the requirements of the assignment? Is the information too technical or too simple? Who is the intended audience? Does it add to your knowledge of the topic?

Authority

Who is the author? Is the author part of an educational institution or an organization? Can you find information about the author on the internet or with other resources? How often is this author cited? The author may be an individual or an organization.

Accuracy 

Is this information correct and reliable? Are there spelling or grammar errors? Was the information reviewed or edited before it was published? What are other authors writing about the topic?

Purpose/Objectivity 

What is the purpose of the information? Is it designed to sway your opinion? Does it project a bias? Are there other points of view presented?

The CRAAP test was creatd by California State University, Chico.