Research Guides: FYS Jane Austen & Regency Romance: Evaluate Sources

CRAAP Test

The CRAAP acronym for evaluating sources, particularly those found online.

C - Currency - When was the source published and does the date of publication meet the needs of the research topic?

R - Relevance - Does the information in the source directly apply to your research and help to support your thesis or research question?

A - Authority - This is an important one when looking at online sources. Is the author / authors an authority on the topic? Is the publisher of the information trustworthy and reliable? If you aren't familiar with the publication or website, you should do some quick research on it to make sure it is a professional publisher. If the resource doesn't appear to be professional, could you find a better source elsewhere online or from a database?

A - Accuracy - Does the source cite or link to research that backs its claims or arguments? Are those resources also reliable or trustworthy?

P - Purpose - Is the source meant to inform or is its purpose to sell something or to entertain?

The CRAAP Test was developed by Meriam Library at California State University, Chico and is sharable via a CC License.

Scholarly vs. Popular vs. Trade Publications

How can you tell the difference between SCHOLARLY JOURNAL ARTICLES, POPULAR NEWSPAPER AND MAGAZINE ARTICLES, and TRADE PUBLICATION MAGAZINES? Here is a table with some key differences.

	SCHOLARLY	POPULAR	TRADE
CONTENT	Academic research Academic reviews Language is formal and can include field jargon Articles are often lengthy	Popular culture Info Current events/ news Language is usually more informal Articles tend to be shorter	Industry/field news Professional interest articles Language is heavy on professional jargon though usually not as formal as a scholarly article Articles are short
INTENDED AUDIENCE	Scholars Researchers Undergraduate/Graduate Students	General public	Industry/Field Professionals
REFERENCES/CITED SOURCES	Always listed and usually extensive Scientific journals include original research info/data	Never (though sources are often quoted within the text)	Sometimes listed but not extensive research cited
AUTHOR/S	Scholars/Researchers	Usually journalists Sometimes scholars or professionals	Usually working professionals (teachers, therapists, etc.) Sometimes scholars within the field
REVIEW POLICY	"Peer-reviewed" by an editorial board of scholars in particular field	Editorial staff, usually made up of journalists	Editorial staff, usually made up of professionals
PICTURES/ADS	Most visuals are graphs or charts with data Some will have a small picture or two but typically have none Usually no or few ads	Frequently contain glossy ads Contain large and numerous pictures to accompany articles	Frequently contain advertisements and some pictures to accompany articles (though not as many as in a popular magazine or newspaper)
EXAMPLES	The American Journal of Psychology The Journal of Asian Studies Journal of Academic Librarianship Occupational Therapy in Mental Health American Music	Time Rolling Stone Scientific American Consumer Reports The New York Times	OT Practice Magazine College and Research Libraries News NEA (National Education Association) Today Magazine Billboard