Crap Detection

Now that we've looked at how misinformation and disinformation can spread, it's time to learn how to recognize and avoid it. 

The CRAP Test Links to an external site.                                                        truth 

No, we don't mean that crap.

The CRAP test Links to an external site. can help you evaluate resources for authenticity. "Crap detection Links to an external site.," first coined by Ernest Hemingway and adopted by media literacy expert Howard Rheingold, is your internal meter that tells you when something seems off. Relying on the CRAP test and your own sense of "crap detection" helps you separate truth from fiction.

Currency

  • How recent is this information?
  • If viewing on a website, how recently was the site updated?

Reliability

  • What supporting information is available?
  • Is this source mainly opinion? Is it highly one-sided?
  • Does the source use outside references, or does it self-reference (an example of circular reporting)?

Authority

  • Who is the author?
  • What are the author's credentials?
  • Where was this published?
  • Is this sponsored information?
  • What kind of advertisements are on the page, if any?

Purpose/Point of View

  • Is this fact, opinion, or opinion presented as fact?
  • Does this information appear biased?
  • Do you feel like the creator or author is trying to sell you something?