Verify information

Verify Information

Currency. Relevance. Authority. Accuracy. Purpose. Determine how reliable your information is using the CRAAP test.

Difficulty: 3/5

TIME

Varies based on the information you want to verify.

Allocate enough time to ensure you’re delivering reliable information.

Participants

Individual or in groups

Core Competency Connection

Sketch of a buffalo on a purple gradient background.
Sketch of a raven on a blue gradient background
Sketch of three wolves on a grey gradient background
Sketch of chief mountain on an ammolite gradient background

MATERIALS

  • Websites
  • Books
  • Articles
  • Etc.

PREP

N/A

The Process

Step 1: Currency

  • The timeliness of the info.
  • When was it published?
  • Is it current or out-of-date for your topic?

Step 2: Relevance

  • How the info fits your needs.
  • Does it answer your question?
  • Who is the intended audience?
  • Could you use this source in a research paper?

Step 3: Authority

  • The source of the info (publisher, journal, organization, etc.)
  • What are the author/editor’s qualifications to write on the topic?
  • Are any conflicts of interest present?
  • Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source (i.e., .com, .edu, .gov, .org, .net)?

Step 4: Accuracy

  • The reliability and correctness of the content.
  • Where does the information come from? Is the information supported by evidence?
  • Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
  • Does the language or tone seem unbiased?

Step 5: Purpose

  • The reason the info exists.
  • What is the purpose of the information? To inform? Teach? Sell? Entertain? Persuade?
  • Is the information fact, or opinion?
  • Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional or personal biases present?
pencil writing a note

Design Hack

While Wikipedia has been known to lack information accuracy, the references listed at the end of articles can be great sources of reliable information.

CTLI Staff

Share this

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.