Sabia Librarian is built on the CRAAP method — a professional information literacy framework used in school and academic libraries worldwide. CRAAP stands for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose — five criteria that, applied together, give a clear picture of a source's strengths and weaknesses.
What the Evaluator Checks
For each submitted URL, Sabia Librarian examines the content against all five CRAAP criteria simultaneously. It accesses the URL directly (where accessible), then applies a structured rubric based on:
C
Currency — When was it published or last updated? Is it still accurate for your research question?
R
Relevance — Does it directly address what you're researching? Is the complexity level right for your audience?
A
Authority — Who wrote it? Are credentials listed and verifiable? Is the author's affiliation clear?
A
Accuracy — Are claims backed by data, studies, or primary sources? Are sources cited? Can facts be verified?
P
Purpose — Why was this created — to inform, persuade, sell, or entertain? Does it show multiple perspectives or just one?
The evaluator also flags bias indicators: political slant, commercial incentives, sensationalist framing, one-sided coverage, or outdated evidence presented as current fact.
What the Score Means
Sabia Librarian returns a credibility score from 0–100. The score is the aggregate of how the source performed across all five CRAAP criteria — rated as Passed, Failed, or Uncertain based on the evidence found. The breakdown shows exactly which criteria passed, failed, or were uncertain, and why.
Score Ranges
80–100
Highly credible — Strong across most or all CRAAP criteria. Suitable for academic and professional use.
60–79
Moderate credibility — Generally reliable but with some gaps or areas of uncertainty. Use with awareness.
40–59
Low credibility — Significant concerns in one or more CRAAP areas. Verify independently before relying on it.
0–39
Not credible — Serious issues across multiple criteria. Do not use as a primary source.
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CRAAP Reference Sheet
Hoja de Referencia CRAAP
Folha de Referencia CRAAP
Complete CRAAP framework with guiding questions for each criterion. Print it, share it with students, or use it in library instruction sessions.
Marco CRAAP completo con preguntas guía para cada criterio. Imprimelo, compartelo con tus estudiantes, o usalo en sesiones de instruction bibliotecaria.
Estrutura CRAAP completa com perguntas guia para cada criterio. Imprima, compartilhe com seus estudantes, ou use em sessoes de instrucao bibliotecaria.
⬇ Download Free PDF (English)
What the Evaluator Cannot Do
Honest Limitations
- Cannot access paywalled or behind-login sources — will indicate this clearly and provide manual verification steps
- Cannot verify credentials at the source institution in real time — checks patterns and public records, but cannot call a university
- Cannot assess visual media (images, videos) — focuses on text content and publicly accessible HTML
- Cannot guarantee a source hasn't been altered since indexing — evaluates what it can access at evaluation time