The CRAP Method is a quick and easy-to-remember way to evaluate a source based on the following criteria: Currency, Reliability, Authority and Purpose/Point of View.  Here are some questions you can ask yourself about the resource to determine its value for your research.

Currency

• How recent is the information?
• If an electronic resource, how recently has it been updated?
• Is this the most recent edition of the resource (especially for books)?
• Is the age of the publication likely to affect the conclusions drawn by the author?

Reliability

• What type of information is provided in the resource?
• Does this work provide you with high quality information?
• Is your topic treated as the main subject, or is it peripheral?
• Does the information support or disprove your thesis?
• Is the resource useful to your research need?
• Does the author provide references or sources for data or quotations?

Authority

• Who is the author of the work, and what are his/her credentials?
• Who published the work – a scholarly press, commercial publisher, or is it self-published?
• If it is an online resource, can you determine who the author is?

Purpose/Point of View

• What is the purpose of the resource?
• Is the purpose clearly outlined in an introduction or foreword?
• Is the work’s audience an expert in the field or a layperson?
• Is the author/publisher trying to sell you something?
• Does this work show signs of bias?
• Is there a fair and balanced treatment of the subject matter?