Use the CRAAP test when conducting general source evaluation on materials such as books and scholarly articles.

C Currency

• When was the information published or posted?
• Has the information been revised or updated?
• Is the information up to date or have there been any major changes affecting the topic since the content was published?
• Are there broken links? This may indicate a site that is no longer maintained. Check for a copyright date at the bottom of websites.

R Relevance

• Does the publication answer your questions or provide information relevant to your topic?
• Who is the intended audience — general readers? Experts? Professionals in a particular field?
• Is the information at an appropriate level?
• Have you looked at multiple sources?

A Authority

• What is the author’s background? What else have they written? Do they have advanced degrees in the field or are they considered an authority on the topic? Are they sponsored or employed by an institution?
• Scholarship can exist outside academic circles and it is worth considering works by authors who may bring a different perspective.
• Is the author an organization or a corporation? Be wary of content with no author credits.

A Accuracy

• Where does the information come from?
• Is it supported by evidence?
• Does the author provide a reference list or links to original research or primary source documents?
• Do they name their sources?
• Can you verify the information using other sources?

P Purpose

• Why was this information published or posted?
• Is the purpose of the publication educational, commercial or political?
• Look out for sensationalist or alarmist titles or claims.
• Does the author present multiple sides of an issue in a neutral tone, or is there a particular viewpoint?
• If published by an organization, is it non-profit or for-profit? Are they selling something? Do they have a particular agenda such as a think-tank or Political Action Committee (PAC)?

The CRAAP test [PDF] is attributed to Sarah Blakeslee of the University of California at Chico and published under a  Creative Commons 4.0 International License.

The ACT UP method pushes against privilege and encourages you to think about the environments surrounding the production of information resources and to consider elements of systemic oppression which have historically influenced which materials are considered appropriate for academic work.

A Author

Who wrote this? What are their credentials? Background information matters.

C Currency

When was this written or published? Are you seeking a historical perspective or up-to-date information?

T Truth

Is the information accurate? Can you verify the information elsewhere?

U Unbiased

No source is truly unbiased; we all have biases. Look for sources which are impartial or which are explicit about their mission, viewpoint or agenda. Is the information presented to sway the audience? Who funded the research or benefits from the outcome? Are you selecting sources which confirm your own biases or seeking a broad range of perspectives on an issue?

P Privilege

Check the privilege of the author(s). Who is missing in this conversation?

The ACTUP test attributed to Dawn Stahura and published under a Creative Commons 4.0 International License.

Use the ROBOT test when evaluating AI generated information and tools such as ChatGPT and Google Gemini.

R Reliability

• How reliable is the information available about the AI technology?
• If it’s not produced by the party responsible for the AI, what are the author’s credentials? Bias?
• If it is produced by the party responsible for the AI, how much information are they making available?
• Is information only partially available due to trade secrets?
• How biased is the information that they produce?

O Objective

• What is the goal or objective of the use of AI?
• What is the goal of sharing information about it – to inform or convince? To find financial support?

B Bias

• What could create bias in the AI technology?
• Are there ethical issues associated with this?
• Are bias or ethical issues acknowledged?

O Ownership

• Who is the owner or developer of the AI technology?
• Who is responsible for it?
• Is it a private company, the government, a think tank, or research group?
• Who has access to it or who can use it?

T Type

• Which subtype of AI is it?
• Is the technology theoretical or applied?
• What kind of information system does it rely on?
• Does it rely on human intervention?

ROBOT test attributed to Amanda Wheatley and Sandy Hervieux and published under a Creative Commons 4.0 International License.

Use the SIFT method and lateral reading when evaluating online content and news sources.

S Stop

Before you begin reading, stop and ask yourself a few questions:

• What do I already know on this topic?
• What do I know about the source that this information is coming from?
• Are you feeling overwhelmed by the information? Stop and remind yourself what your goals are.

I Investigate the Source

• Take a moment and look into the source you are reading; this may mean a quick google search of the source, or even checking a Wikipedia article on the source.
• Check what outside sources say about your source, rather than the source itself.

F Find Better Coverage

• Look around and see what other coverage is available on the same subject; you may find sources that contradict or confirm your original source’s claims.
• You are not tied to using your original source – you can (and should!) go beyond that source.

T Trace Claims

• Trace the claims, quotes and media in your source.
• If your source quotes a subject expert or references a study, try to track down the original source. Look for embedded links or references at the end, which are great starting points to trace the information.

SIFT method attributed to Mike Caulfield and published under a Creative Commons 4.0 International License.