The librarians at California State University, Chico created a method for evaluating sources called the "CRAAP Test." CRAAP stands for Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, and Purpose. The test is a series of questions that helps an individual decided whether or not a source is reliable and credible to use for research purposes. 

Just like any other skill, evaluating resources becomes faster and easier with practice.

The CRAAP test is an easy acronym for the major elements to look for:

Currency -- The timeliness of the information.

Relevance -- The importance of the information for your needs.

Authority -- The source of the information.

Accuracy -- The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content.

Purpose or Point of View -- The reason the information exists.

See California State University, Chico's CRAAP Test Handout for useful questions to ask within each element.