This document introduces the CRAAP test for evaluating websites. The CRAAP test consists of 5 criteria: Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. The document then provides an example evaluation of the website www.martinlutherking.org using the CRAAP test criteria. It finds that the website lacks currency as it only contains information from the 1960s and is not regularly updated. It also has low relevance as it contains extraneous information beyond civil rights. Further, the website has no information on the author's authority or credentials to discuss the topic.

1. Evaluating a Website
Using the CRAAP Test
By: Amanda Wakeman and Morgan Koehler

2. Criteria For Evaluating a Website
1. C- Currency: The timeliness of the information. When was the information on
the website published? Is the information up to date?
2. R- Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs. Does the
information relate to your topic? Is the information appropriate for your topic?
3. A- Authority: The source of the information. Who is the author of the
publication? What is the author’s credentials? Is the author qualified to comment
on that area?

3. Continued…
4. A- Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness and correctness of the
content. Where does the information come from? Is the information
supported?
5. P- Purpose: The reason the information exists. What is the purpose of
the information? Is the information factual, or is it an opinion?
The source of the CRAAP test information

4. Currency
• Website information for www.martinlutherking.org is not up to date. The
website uses information from news papers dating back to the 1960’s. The
website shows no indications that it is updated regularly.

5. Relevance
• Not really relevant to the topic of Civil Rights. Basically just talks about the
history of Martin Luther King. There are a few things about civil rights, but
it’s not the main topic of the website. There is extraneous information on
things such as Kwanzaa, rap lyrics and the King holiday.

6. Authority
• There is no information on the author of the website. The author does not
introduce him or herself. There is no way to contact the author. It does not
show any information on whether the author is qualified to talk about this
topic. On the bottom of the page where the author’s information should be
stated, there is a discussion forum instead.

7. Accuracy
• The information seems pretty accurate because of the fact that the author
cites his/her information correctly and uses actual information from
newspapers on the topic.

8. Purpose
• Purpose is the inform people on Martin Luther King. The information is
factual. The website shows some personal bias due to the fact of the rap
lyrics on the page.