LibGuides: Geography: Websites

Evaluating Sources

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The CRAAP Criteria:

Currency
Relevance
Authority
Accuracy
Purpose

What is the CRAAP Test?

Due to the vast number of sources existing online, it can be difficult to tell whether some sources are trustworthy to use as tools for research. The CRAAP test contains a series of questions that helps students and educators determine if sources are trustworthy and appropriate for academic research. CRAAP is an acronym for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. By employing the CRAAP test while evaluating sources, a researcher reduces the likelihood of using unreliable information. Please keep in mind that the following questions are not static nor exhaustive. Different criteria will be more or less important depending on your situation or need.

If you have additional questions, ask a librarian for help!

Geographic Information on the Web

United States Census Bureau
The Census Bureau continually conducts dozens of other censuses and surveys, including the American Community Survey, the U.S. Economic Census, and the Current Population Survey. (From Wikipedia)

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The various censuses and surveys conducted by the Census Bureau help allocate over $400 billion in federal funds every year and help states, local communities, and businesses make informed decisions.
United States Geological Survey
The USGS is a science organization that provides impartial information on the health of our ecosystems and environment, the natural hazards that threaten us, the natural resources we rely on, the impacts of climate and land-use change, and the core science systems that help us provide timely, relevant, and useable information.
National Ocean Service
The NOS site offers interactive mapping tools that allow users to locate NOS products in any area in the United States and its territories through a metadata catalog.
Bureau of Land Management
The BLM is responsible for carrying out a variety of programs for the management and conservation, of resources on 256 million surface acres.
The World Factbook
Published by the CIA, the World Factbook marshals facts on every country, dependency, and geographic entity in the world.

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The Factbook provides information on the history, people, government, economy, energy, geography, communications, transportation, military, and transnational issues for 267 world entities.
CIA Maps
Simple country maps produced by the CIA. Available free as they are public domain.
Statistical Abstract - 2012 and Older
The authoritative and comprehensive summary of statistics on the social, political, and economic organization of the United States. Published by the Census Bureau, the StatAb also serves as a guide to sources of additional information both in print and on the Web.

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As of 2013, the Statistical Abstract is now published by Proquest (see entry below).
California Geological Survey
State of California Department of Conservation, California Geological Survey homepage

Government Websites

U.S. Department of Agriculture
National Agricultural Library: Explore 217,077 full-text journal articles on the agricultural sciences
USGS Library Guides
The the largest earth science library in the world! Established in 1879 to build and organize a collection of scientific materials in the earth sciences, the U.S. Geological Survey Library is now the largest library for earth sciences in the world. The Library includes four central libraries and is part of Core Science Systems within the USGS.
American Geosciences Institute: California resources
Explore this site for information on Earth, science and people.
Office of Coast Survey's Historical Map & Chart Collection
Office of Coast Survey's Historical Map & Chart Collection covers the land and waters of the United States of America, including territories and possessions (past and present). The images are free to download.

Geography: Websites

Evaluating Sources

What is the CRAAP Test?

Geographic Information on the Web

Government Websites

Web Accessibility