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Green Roofs and Living Walls: Evaluating Information

A guide to information about green roofs and living walls and how to create them. Supports CIT 135 Construction Practices and Sustainability.

Lateral Reading

Sort Fact from Fiction with Lateral Reading

CRAAP Test

The CRAAP Test* is a useful guide to evaluating information found online or elsewhere. CRAAP is an acronym for the general categories of criteria that can be used to evaluate information. 

Currency: The timeliness of the information. 

  • When was the information published or posted? 
  • Has the information been revised or updated?  
  • Is the information current or out-of-date for your topic?
  • Are the links functional? 

Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs. 

  • Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?  
  • Who is the intended audience? 
  • Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)? 
  • Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use? 
  • Would you be comfortable using this source for a research paper? 

Authority: The source of the information. 

  • Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor? 
  • Are the author’s credentials or organizational affliations given? 
  • What are the author’s qualifications to write on the topic? 
  • Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email address? 
  • Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source? examples: .com  .edu  .gov  .org  .net 

Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the informational content. 

  • Where does the information come from? 
  • Is the information supported by evidence?  
  • Has the information been reviewed or refereed? 
  • Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge? 
  • Does the language or tone seem biased and free of emotion?  
  • Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors? 

Purpose: The reason the information exists. 

  • What is the purpose of the information?  to inform? teach? sell? entertain? persuade? 
  • Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear? 
  • Is the information fact? opinion? propaganda? 
  • Does the point of view appear objective and impartial? 
  • Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases? 
  •  

*The CRAAP acronym and descriptions are from Meriam Library at California State University Chico.

CRAAP Test from the Meriam Library website.

Scholarly vs Popular Sources

Jane Says: CRAAP Test

SIFT: Stop, Investigate, Find, Trace

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