C.R.A.P. Test to Evaluate Information
Currency
ASK:
Is Copyright statement current?
How often is the information updated?
Reliability/Relevance
ASK:
Who is standing behind their content production?
Are sources and evidences reliable?
What topics does resource cover? Is it relevant to the statement and title?
Is the information balanced or biased?
What is language quality: its grammar, style? Does the website use biased words? Biased words express partiality, value judgments or interpretations. For example, pretty, ugly, safe, dangerous, evil, good, and so on.
What is the domain name? company (.com), educational (.edu), U.S. government (.gov), organization (.org), military(.mil)?
Authority
ASK:
Who are the authors of the content?
Are credentials/contacts provided? Are they authoritative?
Does the selection of references frame the story or limit the debate?
Purpose/Point of View
ASK:
What is web source intent(entertain, persuade, promote, sell, etc)?
Who is audience?
Is there advertising on the website?
Could this source be used for a research paper?