The CRAAP Test is a list of questions to determine if the information you have is accurate and reliable. Keep in mind, the type of source your need will depend on the situation. Different criteria will be more or less important depending on your need.
More help is available: The Purdue Online Writing Lab (OWL) provides an in-depth guide to evaluating sources and information, including print and internet sources.
In general, there are three types of periodicals: popular magazines, trade or professional sources and scholarly, professional, or refereed journals. The type of periodical you use will depend on the type of information you need.
The following chart lists the typical characteristics that differentiate these three kinds of periodicals. Keep in mind, however, that some periodicals defy easy categories.
Characteristic | Popular | Trade/Professional | Scholarly (refereed or peer-reviewed) |
---|---|---|---|
Publisher | commercial firm | commercial firm or association | university or association (large scientific & academic publishers) |
Frequency of Publication | weekly, biweekly or monthly | weekly, biweekly or monthly | Quarterly |
Intended Audience | general readers | special readers (persons employed in that field) |
special readers (academics and researchers) |
Appearance | colorful, illustrated | colorful, illustrated | plain, mostly text |
Article Type | short, nontechnical with photos and graphics |
short, technical with photos and graphics |
long, research style with tables and charts |
Writing Style | informal, journalistic | informal, journalistic | formal and/or scientific |
Authors | staff writers | staff writers and persons employed in that field | academics and researchers |
News Content | covers broad issues and popular and/or business affairs | covers narrow trade or professional issues | no news coverage |
Advertising | ads for business or consumer products | ads for specialized trade/professional products and services | ads for books, if any |
Research Apparatus | none | none | extensive bibliographies and advanced statistics |
Examples | Sports Illustrated, People, Newsweek, National Geographic | Advertising Age, Variety, Lapidary Journal, Women's Wear Daily | Animation Journal, American Art Journal, Burlington |