Evaluating Sources

Contributors: Mary Northrup Maple Woods Community College. Cindy Cheng and Jessica Tipton JCCC

You may think . . .

"It's published, so I can use it." Well, maybe. If it's published by a legitimate publisher (the books and magazines in the library are!) or if it appears in a database, the information is reliable. But it might not be a good source because of its focus, publication date, or type (for example, a popular magazine if your instructor wants you to use a scholarly journal).

"It came up on the first page of results when I searched the database." Hold on! Many databases put their results in date order. What comes up first are the most recent articles. They may not be the ones that are best for your research.

"I did a search on Google, and it was one of the first sites, and Google has relevancy ranking." Slow down! Searching on the Web brings you face-to-face with the need for evaluating sources for reliability AND appropriateness to the project. Look at those sites critically!  

Want to learn more tips for spotting fake news?  Check out this guide on identifying and avoiding fake news from Indiana University.

The SMELL Test

S stands for Source. Who is providing the information?

M is for Motivation. Why are they telling me this?

E represents Evidence. What evidence is provided for generalizations

L is for Logic. Do the facts logically compel the conclusions?

L is for Left out. What’s missing that might change our interpretation of the information?

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One method of evaluating resources is the C.R.A.A.P. test.  The test provides a list of questions to ask yourself when deciding whether or not a source is reliable and credible enough to use in your academic research paper.  CRAAP stands for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose.

Currency:  When was the paper or article published?  Is it up to date?

Relevance:  How does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?

Authority:  Who authored the paper or article?  Why should I trust him or her?

Accuracy:  Where does the information come from?  Is it supported by evidence?

Purpose:  Is the purpose of the article to inform, teach, sell, entertain or persuade?