Data is the backbone to publishing content online. And content is critical to attracting and keeping consumers on your website. The good news is data is becoming more widely available today. But not all data is equal. How do you ensure the quality of data? Is your data CRAAP?
Is your data CRAAP? Reflections on Data Quality – YouTube
When evaluating data at the Meriam Library in California State University, Chico devised an acronym to help determine how good your data source is.
Currency: The timeliness of the information.
- When was the information published or posted?
- Has the information been revised or updated?
- Is the information current or out-of date for your topic?
- Are the links functional?
Relevance: The importance of the information for your needs.
- Does the information relate to your topic or answer your question?
- Who is the intended audience?
- Is the information at an appropriate level (i.e. not too elementary or advanced for your needs)?
- Have you looked at a variety of sources before determining this is one you will use?
- Would you be comfortable using this source for a research paper?
Authority: The source of the information.
- Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor?
- Are the author’s credentials or organizational affiliations given?
- What are the author’s credentials or organizational affiliations given?
- What are the author’s qualifications to write on the topic?
- Is there contact information, such as a publisher or e-mail address?
- Does the URL reveal anything about the author or source? (examples: .com, .edu, .gov, .org, .net)
Accuracy: The reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content.
- Where does the information come from?
- Is the information supported by evidence?
- Has the information been reviewed or refereed?
- Can you verify any of the information in another source or from personal knowledge?
- Does the language or tone seem biased and free of emotion?
- Are there spelling, grammar, or other typographical errors?
Purpose: The reason the information exists.
- What is the purpose of the information? to inform? teach? sell? entertain? persuade?
- Do the authors/sponsors make their intentions or purpose clear?
- Is the information fact? opinion? propaganda?
- Does the point of view appear objective and impartial?
- Are there political, ideological, cultural, religious, institutional, or personal biases?
Arguably the most important type of data set for residential real estate websites is the property actively being sold. Onboard Informatics offers an IDX API which makes available 3.5 million properties from 300+ MLS nationwide. Here is how our Listings API scores on the CRAAP test:
Currency – We pull data from each MLS via RETS every two hours (where available via the MLS’ capabilities). When a property is updated within the MLS whether price, status, pictures, etc… this information is pushed through our API and ensures it displays correctly on your website and within compliance.
Relevance – MLS data is the definitive source of residential real estate data being actively sold in the US. We combine the MLS data with the rest of our data platform to enable you to display hyper-local content which relates to the property.
Authority – Last November the National Association of Realtors (NAR) announced that they’d require all MLS to publish their IDX feeds in compliance with the Real Estate Standards Organization (RESO) format by June 2016. Onboard Informatics API is designed to implement this data dictionary.
Accuracy – Before publishing the IDX data into our API we process each record through an address standardization, correction, and geocoding process. Each property record is then tagged with all of our geographic boundaries; State, County, Place, Zip Code, Neighborhood, School District, and School Attendance Zone. This enables us to accurately return property based on any and all geographic searches requested by consumers.
Purpose – IDX data’s primary purpose is to be used in advertising residential real estate for sale. We retrieve, process, and host all of the content and media for property listings. We also standardize each separate MLS feed to provide consistent development effort and end user engagement. This enables our customers to focus on their unique consumer experience.
So there you have it, Onboard’s Listings API is 100% CRAAP. Try and implement this test next time you’re evaluating data. And if you’re interested in learning more about Onboard Informatics Listings API we have a product demo coming up on Feburary 3rd. You can register for that here or contact us today.
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