Skip to main content
It looks like you're using Internet Explorer 11 or older. This website works best with modern browsers such as the latest versions of Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge. If you continue with this browser, you may see unexpected results.
JWU Official Seal

MGMT1001 Contemporary Business Management (Baumanis): Evaluating Web Resources

C.R.A.A.P. Test for Evaluating Websites

When using websites in your research, use the CRAAP test to evaluate the validity of the information.

CRAAP stands for:

  • Currency
    • ​When was the information written or published?
    • Has it been updated?
    • Is it out of date for your topic?
    • Are the links functional?
  • Relevance  
    • Does the information answer your research question?
    • Who is the intended audience?
    • Is the information at an appropriate level?
  • Authority
    • Is the author a person, company or organization?
    • Is the author an expert on the subject?
    • Is contact information included?
    • Does the URL reveal anything?
  • Accuracy
    • Is the information supported by evidence?
    • Can you verify the information?
    • Is it peer reviewed?
    • Does the language seem unbiased?
    • Are there spelling, grammatical or other typographical errors? 
  • Purpose
    • Is the purpose to inform/teach/sell/entertain/persuade?
    • Do the authors make their intentions clear?
    • Is the point of view objective? 

Primary VS Secondary Sources

A primary source is a source of information from the time being studied. It is raw data. It is an original source of data before it is analyzed.
Examples include:

  • interviews
  • speeches
  • diaries
  • original manuscripts
  • birth certificate
  • newspaper article written at the time

A secondary source is a source of information written after the time being studied. It is a source that interprets or analyzes. It does not offer new evidence.
Examples include:

  • biographies
  • journal articles
  • text books
  • commentaries
  • editorials
  • literary criticisms

Evaluating Resources

Langan, K. (2018). "Scholarly versus trade versus popular: comparing 3 types of publications." WMU Libraries. Retrieved from http://libguides.wmich.edu/celcis/articles