Question

when evaluating a source fir research is the source still valid if all the elements are not of equal strength? what is an element is not present or negative? how would yiu justify using that source

Answer 1

All information, especially online content, needs critical scrutiny. Use of the CRAAP test helps us to evaluate and determine the credibility and reliability of a source:

1) Currency: It refers to the timeliness of the publication. A useful site updates information regularly. Ask questions like: (a) Is the site well maintained? Is information up-to-date?

2) Relevancy: Consider if the information provided is useful to the target audience.

3) Authority: Ensure that the source is written by a trustworthy author. Check author credentials.

4) Accuracy: Does the site have references or links to the sources of information? Can you locate these sources? If the source includes facts or statistical data, can this information be verified in another source?

5) Purpose. Consider the reason why the site was created. The reason the source was created. Can you detect any bias or emotional language?

These 5 criterias help determine the quality of your source. The strength of each of these criterias have a relevant role in understanding if the source is credible. Depending on the subject, one can justify using sources that may not be strong on each of these 5 aspects. It is important to consider the context of using these sources. Let us consider an example.

In a college setting, you may have been asked to present a report on your findings related to a social issue (for eg: racism). For the research of this particular topic, you may come across many articles/ blogs that may meet the currency, relavancy and purpose criterias. However, you may not be able to verify the accuracy and authority of such sources. Given the setting- college project- one could argue using sources that meet 3/5 criterias.

On the other hand, while in an office setting, when your boss asks you to research about a particular concept, for eg- tax law. It is absolutely vital to have all 5 criterias met.

It is not neccesary for a criteria to be positive. For eg- The author of the source could be a democrat. The believers of republican party may associate him with a negative image. However, he still could be a credible author for the democrat viewpoints.

Conclusion: The 5 criterias need to be assess together for every topic you may consider. The varying strengths can then be justified.