During the research process, you will encounter many types of sources such as books, articles and Web sites. But not everything you find on your topic is suitable for use. Evaluating resources is a critical component when conducting research. The C.R.A.P. Method is a great technique that will help you understand when a source has quality or not.
The C.R.A.P. Method is:
- Currency How current is the information? Can you locate when the resource was last updated?
- Reliability What kind of information is presented? Is the information balanced or biased?
- Authority Who is the author? What are their credentials?
- Purpose/Point of View What is the purpose of the resource? Is the author presenting fact or their opinion?
Other things to consider when evaluating a resource include:
- What type of information do you need? Are you writing a literature review or research paper? The type of information you need depends on your project.
- If you use a Web site, look at the URL address. Addresses ending in .edu, .gov or .org tend to be more reputable than addresses ending with .com or .net
