Anyone can publish on the internet. The web resources in the Library's A-Z list (most of which are library subscriptions) have been chosen because they are resources for finding legitimate information for use in your research. If you choose to use the internet for research, you need to evaluate the web sites for reliability, credibility, and accuracy. Use the criteria from the CRAAP Test in the libguide box to the right.
The video below explains in greater detail how to evaluate sources found on the web:
When you search for information, you're going to find lots of it . . but is it good information?
Check to be sure!
Determine that yourself, with the help of the CRAAP Test*. Below is a list of questions to help you evaluate the information you find. A red asterisk (*) indicates that the criteria applies to a website--see the guide box to the right for information about websites.
Evaluation Criteria
Currency: The timeliness of the information
Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs
Authority: The reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the content
Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the content
Purpose: The reason the information exists
Adapted from: Evaluating Information - Applying the CRAAP Test, Meriam Library California State University, Chico, CA. Last updated 9/7/10.