Technical Communication: ENGR 2196

Feel free to copy, save, and print this guide to help you evaluate online information.

(Source: Fullerton College Library)

The CRAAP test is a handy method for evaluating information sources.

It provides a list of questions you can use to test a source's legitimacy, using the acronym CRAAP:

C is for Currency: the timeliness of information

• When was the information created, published, or posted?
• Has the information been revised or updated?
• Does your research topic require current information, or will older sources work as well?

R is for Relevance: the significance of information

• Does the information relate to your research topic?
• Who is the intended audience (scholars, the general population, a specific group)?
• Is the information at an appropriate level (e.g. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?

A is for Authority: the source of information

• Who is responsible for the presentation of this information (author, publisher, funding agency, etc.)?
• What are the author's credentials (education, institutional affiliation, previous research, honors, etc.)?
• Is there contact information, such as a publisher or email address?

A is for Accuracy: the reliability of information

• Is the information supported by evidence?
• Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
• Can you verify the information using other sources (e.g., encyclopedia articles, government documents, statistical data)?

P is for Purpose: the function of information

• What is the purpose of the information? Is it to inform, persuade, entertain, sell?
• Does the author meet the goals defined in the abstract or introduction?
• Does the point of view appear objective and impartial, or are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?

The SIFT method is another useful way of identifying misinformation in both popular and scholarly sources. Temple University Libraries has created a tutorial on how to use the SIFT method. This 30-minute tutorial will help you:

• Define types of information disorder 
• Identify fact-checking tools used to determine the trustworthiness of recent news content
• Apply the SIFT method to help verify information online

We also recommend the blog "Sifting Through the Pandemic," created by Mike Caulfield, a digital literacy expert at Washington State University. This blog goes into detail about how to apply the SIFT method to determine the accuracy of information about the COVID-19 pandemic.

Caulfield also created a series of videos on verifying sources online:

• Part 1 (introduction)
• Part 2 (investigating the source
• Part 3 (finding the original source)
• Part 4 (look for trusted work)

Misinformation is false content that is unknowingly distributed. The source of the content believes the information to be true.

Disinformation is false content that is knowingly distributed. The source of the content knows the information is untrue.

Malinformation is true content but is distributed with the intention to cause harm.

Here is a useful guide to various types of mis- and disinformation, ranked from left to right in terms of their capacity to cause harm: 

First Draft. (2019). Essential Guide to Understanding Information Disorder. (CC BY-NC-ND 4.0)

Scholarly and popular sources are both useful sources of information, but it is important to be able to distinguish between the two, both in terms of evaluating the information and for citation purposes.

Popular sources, such as newspapers, magazines, and their online equivalents, are designed to inform and entertain the general public. Information from these sources has not necessarily been vetted for accuracy in a rigorous fashion.

Scholarly sources, such as the articles found in databases you can access via Temple University Libraries, are intended for a more specialized audience. They cite references, allowing readers to check the information and learn more about the subject matter. These sources have generally been through the peer review process, in which the information is reviewed by multiple experts in the field to ensure that it is accurate and relevant. This short video (3 min.) provides an overview of the peer review process: 

The Carnegie-Vincent Library of Lincoln Memorial University created this video to explain the differences between scholarly and popular sources: 

Predatory journals appear to be legitimate journals, but the articles they publish may be of low quality, or even hoaxes. Their articles do not go through the peer-review process to evaluate the quality of the submissions. The publishers of these journals may target scholars with mass emails inviting them to submit an article. Sometimes faculty at universities are listed as being on editorial boards without their knowledge or permission. Use the resources below to help identify and avoid predatory journals.

• Open Access Journals list of Predatory Journals

  Open Access Journals' mission is to provide free access to quality scholarly research and dissertations. There are many predatory online publications that purport to be scholarly, but are not. Open Access Journals have compiled a list of suspicious journals and publishers.

• What is a Predatory Journal? 

  This short video (5 min.) explains the key characteristics of predatory journals and where to look for clues, including:
  - Peer review
  - Editorial boards
  - Indexing and Impact Factors
  - Predatory metrics

• 8 Ways to Identify a Questionable Open Access Journal

  This short video (4 min.) offers tips on identifying predatory journals. 

• Combatting Predatory Academic Journals and Conferences

  The Interacademy Partnership study gauges the extent and impact of predatory practices, identifying their root causes, and reviewing efforts to combat them.