Evaluate Sources

Learn how to critically evaluate sources including websites, articles, databases, books, and more.

CRAAP Test

You have many places to find information, but how do you know that the information you find is high quality? The CRAAP test is a simple way to evaluate information, and was developed by the Meriam Library at California State University, Chico. Use the CRAAP test to assess any website, article, or piece of information that you might want to use.

  • Currency: When the information was published

  • Relevance: How well the information fits your need

  • Authority: The expertise or qualifications of the creator(s) of the information

  • Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content

  • Purpose: The information exists for a reason, whether to inform, pursuade, or sell


Watch the video on the right for a quick overview of the CRAAP test.

What about websites?

Information you find on the Internet needs to be carefully evaluated, because anyone can create a website, blog, or wiki. Pay attention to the domain (.com, .edu, .gov), when the site was last updated, and whether it is full of broken links and spelling mistakes. Shapiro Library at Southern New Hampshire University goes into greater detail about what to look out for when evaluating websites.

how do i read scholarly articles?

See the video from McMaster Library for tips on the best way to read a scholarly article. A good general approach includes:

  • Highlighting

  • Defining unfamiliar words

  • Looking for connections with other sources

Use this note taking template.

What does a scholarly article look like?

Explore Anatomy of a Scholarly Article from North Carolina State University, which shows the different parts of a scholarly source and the purpose of each.

  • Title: often long and specific, may describe research

  • Authors: often more than one, degrees listed

  • Audience: specialized vocabulary used

  • Abstract: a short summary of the article on the first page

  • Research: description of methodology used

  • References: listed at the back of the article

  • Images: graphs and charts, photos are rare


scholarly or peer reviewed?

All peer-reviewed articles are scholarly, but not all scholarly articles are peer-reviewed. Scholarly articles share common traits:

  • A scholarly source presents the findings of a study, research, or experimentation

  • Written by experts in the field for other experts, uses specialized vocabulary

  • Considered more reliable because the results are based on research, rather than opinion

  • Images are more likely to be charts and graphs than photographs.

Peer Reviewed Sources

Peer-reviewed articles have all of the above traits, in addition to going through the peer-review process. In this process, the article is evaluated by other experts in the field for accuracy before publication.