Research Strategies

The CRAP Test

• Presentation (Does the word CRAP offend you?  Try SCRAP instead!)

• C- Currency

  • How recent is the information?

  • Can you locate a date when the book/ site was written/ created/ updated?

  • Based in your topic, is it current enough?

• R- Relevance 

  • Does this information relate to the topic I'm researching?

• R- Reliability

  • What kind of information is included in the book /website?

  • Is it accurate? ...complete?

  • Is the content primarily fact, or opinion?

  • Is the information balanced, or biased?

  • Does the author provide references for quotations and data?

  • If there are links, do they work?

• A- Authority

  • Can you determine who the author/creator is?

  • Is there a way to contact them?

  • What are their credentials (education, affiliation, experience, etc.)?

  • Is there evidence they're experts on the subject?

  • Who is the publisher or sponsor of the site?

• P - Purpose / Point of View / Pretty?

  • What's the intent of the book / website (to inform, persuade, to sell you something, etc.)?

  • What is the domain (.edu, .org, .com, etc.)? How might that influence the purpose/point of view?

  • Are there ads on the website? How do they relate to the topic being covered (e.g., an ad for ammunition next to an article about firearms legislation)?

  • Is the author presenting fact, or opinion?

  • Who might benefit from a reader believing this website?

  • Based on the writing style, who is the intended audience?

  • Is the book/ website “pretty?” Is it an attractive package? Would you want to pick up the book and read it?