The CRAAP Test (Infographic)
CRAAP Test (Power Point)
Step 4: Analyze Material
When searching for material it is important to analyze your sources and material for credibility, accuracy, currency, and authenticity.
Some questions to ask when analyzing a source:
- What is the purpose of the work?
- Is it to publish relevant findings or to sell something?
- Is the purpose to provide information to other scholars?
- Who is the author? Are they credible?
- What credentials does the author have?
- Can you find other works they have done?
- Does this author cite their sources?
- Is this author cited by other reliable authors?
- What other works has this author published, and are they also credible?
- Is the author unbiased?
- Is this work scholarly and/or peer reviewed?
- Has it been reviewed by other academics in the field?
- How do you know?
- How do you know?
- Has it been reviewed by other academics in the field?
- How accurate is this information?
- Is it supported by facts/empirical evidence?
- Can you find the same information elsewhere in another source?
- How current is the material?
- Has there been similar information published more recently?
- When was the last time it was updated?
- What time frame are you looking at for your literature review, and does the work fall within that range?
Books and EBooks
Analysing Media Texts by ISBN: 082646470XPublication Date: 2003-12-01Andrew Burn and David Parker outline how multi-modality theory can be used to analyze texts which employ multiple semiotic modes and media, in such a way that a balanced consideration is given to the characteristics of each mode, how they integrate, and how they distribute textual functions between them.
Assessing the Quality of Survey Data by ISBN: 9781849203326Publication Date: 2012-03-06This is a book for any researcher using any kind of survey data. It introduces the latest methods of assessing the quality and validity of such data by providing new ways of interpreting variation and measuring error.
Critical Discourse Analysis by ISBN: 0826464866Publication Date: 2004-12-30This introductory text explains the use of critical discourse analysis (CDA) as a research methodology. Beginning with an explanation of the key words and theories behind CDA and how these can be used in research, Terry Locke proceeds to provide a lucid demonstration of the application of these series to both interpretation of print text and the analysis of conversations. The book is an essential guide for students encountering critical discourse analysis for the first time.
Discourse Analysis by ISBN: 9781119257707Publication Date: 2017-11-30Revised and updated, this third edition of Barbara Johnstone's Discourse Analysis encourages students to think about discourse analysis as an open-ended set of techniques. Exploring a variety of approaches, including critical discourse analysis, conversation analysis, interactional and variationist sociolinguistics, ethnography, corpus linguistics, social semiotics, and other qualitative and quantitative methods, the book balances its comprehensive coverage with extensive practical examples, making it the ideal introductory text for students new to the subject.
Introducing Electronic Text Analysis by ISBN: 0415320216Publication Date: 2006-07-24Introducing Electronic Text Analysis is a practical and much needed introduction to corporate bodies of linguistic data. Written specifically for students studying this topic for the first time, the book begins with a discussion of the underlying principles of electronic text analysis. It then examines how these corpora enhance our understanding of literary and non-literary works.
Research Strategies by ISBN: 9781491722336Publication Date: 2014-01-16In this fifth edition of Research Strategies, author William Badke helps you make sense of all of the available information, shows you how to navigate and discern it, and details how to use it to your advantage to become a better researcher. Badke focuses on informational research and provides a host of tips and advice not only for conducting research, but also for everything from finding a topic to writing an outline to documenting resources and polishing the final draft.
- Web Content Credibility by Adam WierzbickiThis ebook introduces readers to Web content credibility evaluation and evaluation support.
Internet Resources
- Data Analysis and Interpretation by David ByrneOnce you have decided on your method of data collection and have gathered all of the data you need, you need to decide how to analyze and interpret your data.
- Evaluating Sources: General Guidelines on Purdue University Online Writing Lab (OWL)
Once you have an idea of the types of sources you need for your research, you can spend time evaluating individual sources. If a bibliographic citation seems promising, it’s a good idea to spend a bit more time with the source before you determine its credibility. Here are some questions to ask and things to consider as you read through a source. - Citation Style Guide: Tips for Evaluating Sources
NYU Libraries / This guide provides citation and bibliography assistance. Includes APA, MLA, and Chicago style examples. - Research Skills: Evaluating Sources
Conestoga College - Checklist for Analyzing Research Material
University of North Carolina