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Have you ever wondered if what you were hearing or reading was real or fake? Being concerned with whether or not something is true should be considered a civil responsibility, and one that we should take upon ourselves to uphold with integrity. With that being said, you may have not been introduced to the CRAAP test, but it's one of the best ways to source the information you might come across. Here's how to use the test, ask yourself:

1. Currency: Is the information timely and up-to-date for your topic?
2. Relevance: Does the information relate directly to your research needs?
3. Authority: Who is the author or publisher, and are they qualified and reputable in the field?
4. Accuracy: Is the information supported by evidence and correctly cited, and can it be verified by other sources?
5. Purpose: What was the motive behind creating the content—to inform, persuade, or sell, and does it show bias?

From these questions, you should be able to identify whether or not something holds some value. If information does not conform under these rules, you may have a biased or inaccurate piece. And for fun, once something is verifiably true, you can say, "Well, that was a load of CRAAP."

Another great way is to use your library or local colleges to look up information via the databases that are available. You can access some of these resources for free on their websites without the need of a library card or being a student of their college. A quick Google search can get you to the right place.

Test your skills and fact checking by looking at sites like Not Real News or The Onion to see if you can spot the lies, misinformation, and other misleading tidbits within their articles.

Here is a short, reliable list of vetted sources you can refer to when you need to fact check:

• PolitiFact
• Fact Check
• Snopes
• NPR Fact Check
• Media Bias Fact Check
• SciCheck

The strongest position you can take is one where you are correctly informed...and have fun saying "CRAAP"!