How do you know if something you find on the open web is reliable? Anyone can publish information to the Internet so not all information you find on the web is accurate or even true. In fact, a lot of information is biased, controversial or just plain wrong! Not knowing what information is reliable can be dangerous! Be sure to thoroughly evaluate all information you find on the open web for accuracy and reliability. Try the CRAAP* test:
| C | Currency | When was it published? Has it been updated or revised? |
| R | Relevancy |
What would you use the information for? Does it support your research? |
| A | Authority | Who wrote it? Who is responsible for the information? |
| A | Accuracy | Where did the information come from? Are sources cited? |
| P | Purpose | Why was it written? Is it factual, entertaining or persausive? |
*Adapted from CSU, Chico CRAAP Tutorial