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Teaches students to evaluate the quality of evidence and the reliability of digital and print sources.
In an era of 'deepfakes' and viral misinformation, how do you know if the 'fact' you just read is a solid brick of truth or a house of cards designed to collapse?
To evaluate a source, you must look beyond the headline. The CRAAP Test is a foundational tool for researchers. It stands for: Currency (the timeliness of the info), Relevance (how it fits your needs), Authority (the source of the info), Accuracy (reliability and correctness), and Purpose (the reason the info exists). In advanced composition, Authority and Purpose are critical. You must ask: Does the author have the credentials to speak on this? Is the purpose to inform, or is there a hidden bias intended to sell or persuade? A source from 2005 might be 'accurate' regarding history but fail the Currency test for a paper on emissions.
Quick Check
If you are writing a paper on the latest smartphone technology, which CRAAP criterion is most likely to disqualify a source from 2015?
Answer
Currency, because technology evolves rapidly and a decade-old source would be outdated.
Not all evidence carries the same weight. Anecdotal evidence consists of personal stories or individual observations. While emotionally compelling, it represents a sample size of , making it statistically insignificant for broad claims. In contrast, Empirical data is derived from systematic observation or experimentation. It relies on larger sample sizes () and verifiable results. For example, saying 'My grandfather smoked and lived to 100' is an anecdote. A study showing a correlation of between smoking and lung disease across participants is empirical. To build a high-level argument, use anecdotes to hook the reader, but use empirical data to prove your point.
Scenario: You are arguing that school start times should be later. 1. Anecdote: 'My brother is always tired at 7:00 AM, so school starts too early.' (Weak: ) 2. Empirical Data: 'A study of students showed that moving start times by hour increased average GPA by points.' (Strong: Verifiable, large sample). 3. Synthesis: Start with the anecdote to humanize the issue, then provide the statistic to validate it.
Quick Check
Why is empirical data generally preferred over anecdotal evidence in a formal debate?
Answer
Empirical data is based on large, verifiable sample sizes rather than isolated, subjective experiences.
Advanced writers don't just 'drop' statistics into a paragraph; they integrate them. Use the 'Evidence Sandwich' method: 1. Introduce the claim. 2. Present the data using LaTeX for clarity if necessary (e.g., 'The success rate was of the total population'). 3. Explain how the data supports your claim. Avoid 'cherry-picking,' which is the act of selecting only the data that supports your side while ignoring the rest. If a study shows a increase in success but has a high margin of error of , an ethical writer acknowledges that variance.
Task: Integrate the following data into a persuasive sentence: 'Urban green spaces reduce local temperatures by (Source: NASA, 2022).' 1. Draft: NASA says green spaces cool things down by degrees. 2. Advanced Revision: According to a 2022 NASA study, urban green spaces provide a significant cooling effect, reducing local temperatures by an average of . This data suggests that city planners can mitigate the 'heat island effect' by prioritizing park development.
Which component of the CRAAP test evaluates whether an author has a 'hidden agenda' or bias?
If a study has a sample size of , what type of evidence is it?
True or False: In advanced composition, it is acceptable to 'drop' a statistic into a paragraph without explaining its relevance as long as the source is cited.
Review Tomorrow
In 24 hours, try to list all five letters of the CRAAP test and define what the 'A's stand for without looking at your notes.
Practice Activity
Find a recent news article and identify one piece of anecdotal evidence and one piece of empirical data within the text.