Research Skills
Evaluating Sources
The CRAP Test is an acronym used to evaluate information. CRAP stands for currency, relevance, authority and purpose. The CRAP Test can be applied to any type of resource. When using the CRAP Test, ask yourself:
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Currency -- How timely is the information?
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Relevance -- Does the information meet your needs?
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Authority -- Who is the author/publisher of this information?
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Purpose -- Why does this information exist?
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Search Techniques
Locating the information you need isn't always easy, and it helps to have a strategy. Check out some search tips in the slideshows below.
Search limiters, sometimes called search connectors, are words used to define a relationship between your search terms.
Instead of searching for one general term, identify multiple related terms and try connecting them with AND, OR or NOT.
A thesis statement:
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is the foundation/focus of your paper/project.
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is a strong statement regarding what you plan to prove as a result of your research.
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defines your project as analytical, expository or persuasive.
Types of Resources
When conducting research, it is important to understand the type of resources you are using. In general, scholarly articles are viewed as having the most authority, which is why they are most often used for research. Popular resources, such as magazines, are not usually written by subject experts, but they do involve research on the part of the writer. Internet articles are created for many different reasons and by a variety of people. For this reason, Internet resources need to be carefully scrutinized.