Websites are important sources of information for research and other general purposes. Some webpages are useful while others are not. This essay evaluates two webpages based on the CRAAP TEST (Currency, Relevancy, Accuracy and Purpose).
Daily Times: Literature Plays Vital Role in Societies’ Reformation: Abdullah Hussain (Farooq 2013)
The information in the above mentioned webpage was published on Monday, March 4, 2013. There is no evidence that the information has been updated or at least revised since it was posted on the web. However, because the article was published this year (2013), the information is useful to my research, because it is current. Older sources would work for my research as long as they are not outdated. Lastly, the links provided in the website are functional.
The information in the aforesaid webpage is relevant to my topic and answers my question. The audience for this webpage includes literature lovers, critics, students and those interested in the art and its role in society. The language used is appropriate for the target audience. Neither is the information too complex or elementary for the target readers. I searched the web for other sources before deciding to use this, because the information is current, relevant and credible, making it a credible source to cite in my research paper.
The information in the webpage is authored by Asad Farooq, a writer for “The Daily Times” newspaper, which published the article. While the author’s credentials are not provided on the page (except that the URL has a ‘.pk’ extension depicting it is Pakistani), the newspaper is a credible news source based in Pakistani, which employs qualified columnists and writers. This gives the information authority.
Open Salon: What Is the Role of Literature in Society? (William 2009)
Published on September, 14, 2009, the information in the above mentioned webpage has not been update or revised. Nevertheless, the links provided are fully functional and, more importantly, the information is useful because my research can benefit from older sources. The information is relevant to my research topic too. The facts in the post are targeted to literature critics, scholars, students and other interested persons or groups and is, as such, appropriate in language and level. I have researched multiple sources and I can comfortably quote this source in my paper.
The webpage’s author is a literature teacher-cum-blogger who runs the website, giving him considerable authority to discuss the topic. There is no direct contact information but the website has a button where a visitor can message the author. The URL ends with a ‘.com’ and carries the writer’s name. Although the information has not been reviewed, the facts presented in the article are supported by referencing many different sources, including literature authors and scholars, and may be verified from other sources. This, coupled with the lack of bias and typographical errors makes the information reliably correct.
Lastly, the information is meant to inform and this is evident as one starts reading the article, although the authors do not directly mention the article’s purpose. The author is objective in articulating his fact-based information and there is no evidence of cultural, political or personal biases.
Thesis Statement
Literature plays a central role in shaping society. It is a powerful tool that can be leveraged to reawaken the society, give insight and inspire people to embrace certain things and shun others. The many forms of literature such as written books, poems and oral narrations can be used to teach, rebuke, warn and enlighten the members of the society, among other things.
Works Cited
Farooq, Asad. Literature Plays a Vital Role in Societies’ Reformation: Abdulla Hussain. Daily
Times, 4 March 2013. Web. 18 October 2013
Williams, Jake. What is the Role of Literature in Society? Open Salon, 14 Sept. 2009. Web. 18
October 2013.
