Most Importantly...
You need to learn to look critically at any potential source in order to determine its credibility! With the advent of the internet and electronic resources, it has become more difficult to determine what type of material you're using and, consequently, its quality as a source.
The CRAAP Test
There is a helpful acronym to help you remember the 5 criteria to consider when evaluating your sources! Use the CRAAP test to evaluate books, articles, websites, and other resources.
- C: Currency/Timliness
- R: Relevance/Audience
- A: Authority
- A: Accuracy
- P: Purpose/Objectivity
Visit each tab in this guide for more information on each of the 5 criteria and questions that you can ask yourself as you evaluate a resource. Also, be sure to look at the subtabs under source type for guidelines specific to book, article, and website evaluation.