CRAAP Analysis

There are several methods that you can use when you’re evaluating sources. Perhaps the most common and well-known is the CRAAP Analysis:

• Currency: How current is the source?
• Relevance: How important is the information for your needs?
• Authority: What is the source of the information?
• Accuracy: Judged against other sources (which themselves will need appropriate evaluation), how correct is the source?
• Purpose: What is the goal of the source—why was it created?

Watch this video for a recap of each of the components of the CRAAP method.

You can view the transcript for “How Library Stuff Works: How to Evaluate Resources (the CRAAP test)” here (opens in new window).

Depending on your organizational culture, Wikipedia might be sufficient as a source. Perspectives on the use of Wikipedia in your research vary. It all depends on the purpose of your writing. Not all of your business reports need to be lengthy and comprehensive works supported by scholarly sources. You might find yourself writing a short report within a few hours where your boss indicates that Wikipedia or some other introductory website or encyclopedia may be sufficient. It is important to point out that the report, while important, is not the end, it is simply a means to making better decisions. Guidance from your organization’s decision-makers is key.

Evaluating Other Media Sources

As with evaluating websites, evaluating other media sources with the CRAAP method is appropriate. There are, however, a few questions specific to media that you should add:

Who is the owner of the media outlet?

Take a look at WebpageFX’s infographic of ownership of key outlets. As you view the infographic, consider applying the CRAAP Analysis to WebpageFX. Is it a good source? Why or why not?

Figure 1 shows the consolidation of media ownership in the United States over a 30 year span. With the consolidation of outlets, there are fewer different opinions and political views available in the media.

How long has the media outlet been around?

While not a perfect test of quality by any means, consider how something like 60 Minutes, the television news program from CBS, has been on the air for over 50 years. Would this make it more or less reputable than, for example, a newer YouTube news channel like The Young Turks or The Rubin Report?

Consider the use of mass media sources carefully given the potential problem of politicization. A good technique would be to simply address what you (as the researcher) think the bias might be. As we’ve discussed elsewhere, it’s not as simple as saying all bias is bad. Rather, bias is something we all encounter and have, and it is reasonable and useful to address bias head-on. The researcher should tell the reader what their biases are. The researcher should also tell the reader what they think a given source’s biases are as well. Then it’s up to the reader to think critically about the material presented.