INSTRUCTOR: When you start your research, it's important to make sure you're using credible, authoritative information in your paper. Using good sources makes your paper stronger, so you'll need to evaluate what you find in your research process. According to a 2016 Stanford University study, most students cannot tell when information is fake or biased, so we want to make sure you don't fall into that category by equipping you with the knowledge to tell fact from fiction. Let's go over how to evaluate your sources. 

The easiest way to check is with the CRAAP test. It's not just a funny word the library uses. It stands for Current, Relevant, Authoritative, Accurate, and Purpose. Ask yourself the following questions as you look at a source. 

Is it current? Current refers to how old a source is. If your article is more than 5 to 10 years old, the information may be out of date. If a website looks dated and hasn't been updated in years, that may not be a good sign either. Try finding the information elsewhere. 

Is it relevant? Take a look at whether or not this seems like academic writing or something you'd find in a magazine at the grocery store checkout line. For an academic paper, you want academic-level writing. If the language is too simple or too complicated you'll want to find something else more appropriate in that case, too. 

Is it authoritative? Does it have an author? What are their credentials? If you don't know who wrote it or what their expertise is, such as what university or organization they work with, you can't verify that this is authoritative information. 

Is it accurate? If there are claims being made and statistics being thrown around, where are their sources? If they don't have a source for that information, you won't be able to fact check. If it's a scholarly journal article, it goes through a peer review process, meaning that a group of experts verified that information for you, so you can always count on a good journal article. 

Finally, what is its purpose? You want to find information that is written to inform or educate, not to entertain. If there's a lot of advertising, its purpose might be to sell you something, which is not a good sign. Check for bias. If the tone of the writing uses extreme language, either positive or negative, that is a big, red flag for bias. 

If you ask yourself these questions as you go through your sources, you will be well equipped to find the best research for your assignment. If you are ever unsure if a source is appropriate, just ask a librarian. Good luck.