Library resources for POLI 104 assignment regarding city and county governments

Evaluating Websites Using the CRAP Test

With resources like Google at our fingertips, information isn't hard to find. What is challenging is determining whether that information is credible and can be trusted. Is it factual? Biased? Relevant to your topic?

A Google search is often our first stop to gain a basic understanding of the main ideas about a topic, but since anyone with access to a computer can publish anything online, it is crucial that you evaluate the information you find, especially when completing a research paper, or looking for important information (like health or financial information).

Web sources can be particularly hard to evaluate, so we've developed this handy acronym to help you determine if a source may be CRAP.

 

   

 

  • CURRENCY How recently was this information published/posted? Can you find a publication date?
  • RELIABILITY:  Is the information supported by evidence? Can it be confirmed by other sources?
  • AUTHORITY:  Who wrote the information - are they an expert or knowledgeable in their field? (i.e. For health information, did a doctor or nurse write it? For science information, did a scientist or researcher write it?)
  • PURPOSE / POINT OF VIEW:  Why was it written? To sell something? To sway opinion? Is it biased toward a particular point of view?

For more  information, check out this article by NPR journalist Steve Inskeep called, "A Finder's Guide to Facts"

Domains

The URL for a website can tell you a lot about the purpose of a webpage. 
     .com = commercial site
     .net =network provider
     .org =organization
     .edu =education - school or university
     .mil = military website
     .gov = government website
     .com, .net, and .org sites are less regulated, meaning anyone can register for a website with that domain. 

       Note: .edu, .mil, and .gov sites are MORE REGULATED, and tend to be more reliable. 

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