CARPA

The CARPA test is a tool to check the reliability of a source.

Currency: the timeliness of the information

• • How recent is the information?

  • Can you locate a date when the page(s) were written/created/updated?

  • Based on your topic, is the information current enough?

Authority: the source of the information

• • Can you determine who the author/creator is? is there a way to contact them?

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

  • Who is the publisher or sponsor of the site? Are they reputable?

Reliability: importance of the information

• • What kind of information is included in the Web site?

  • 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?

Purpose: the reason the information exists

• • What's the intent of the Web site (to persuade, to sell you something, etc.)?

  • What is the domain (.edu, .org, .com, etc.)?

  • Are there ads on the Web site?

  • 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 Web site?

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

Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the information

• • Is it accurate? Is it supported by evidence?

  • Is the information balanced or biased?

  • Was it peer-reviewed?

  • Can you verify the information from another reliable source?

  • Are there spelling, grammar, or typographical errors?

  • Can you determine who the author/creator is? is there a way to contact them?