Biology

The C.R.A.P. method is a framework for beginning to evaluate sources. You need to look at the source itself AND do some fact-checking outside the source, too.

¨      Currency—consider:

§  When the source was created or last updated?

§  Is this current enough for your topic (some fields change more rapidly than others)?

¨      Reliability (the content itself)

§  Are the sources of the information documented (cited)?

§  Is the content mostly opinion or mostly verifiable information?

§  Is the source summarizing or re-stating a different source? If so, "go upstream" to that original source and use it, instead.

§  When in doubt, do a quick web search to see if anyone else has already fact-checked the claims.

¨      Authority (the author or creator)

§  Who created this resource?

§  Is the creator an expert on this topic?

§  Does the creator have any institutional affiliations?

§  "Read laterally"-- do some quick searching to find out what others say about the author. What kind of reputation do they have?

¨      Purpose (the publishing source and/or medium)

§  Why was the resource created?

§  Who is the intended audience?

§  Does the publishing source have an agenda? (E.g., are they trying to get you to support a certain candidate or buy a product?)

§  Again, "read laterally"-- do some quick searching to find out what others say about the publication. What kind of reputation does it have?

§  Are there ads? A lot of them?

Evidence-based practice (EBP) principles are used in many professions, including: medicine; nursing; social work; and education.

The EBP model is built on five steps.

1. Ask: Formulate an answerable question
2. Acquire: Use information resources to search for evidence
3. Appraise: Evaluate the evidence in terms of its validity, impact, and applicability to your question
4. Apply: Use the best evidence for your situation, in alignment with local values and your professional expertise
5. Assess: Evaluate the effectiveness of the application

Generally speaking, the reliability and value placed on different types of information according to an EBP paradigm will be ranked thus, with 1 being the most reliable and 6 the least.

1. Systematic reviews and meta-analyses
2. Randomized controlled studies
3. Cohort studies
4. Case series
5. Case reports
6. Ideas and opinions

As you work your way from less- to more-reliable, you will notice that the size of data sets and the evaluations and comparisons within them increase. A meta-analysis will study hundreds or thousands of individual cases, which allows for overarching trends to emerge. Individual case studies may not always enable the researcher to determine which characteristics are typical of similar cases and which characteristics pertain only to that particular case.