For most research assignments, it is important to find the best resources for your project, not just the first ones that you find in your search. After reading and thinking critically about them, completing the assignment involves synthesizing those materials into a cohesive and cogent thesis demonstrated through the evidence you present. In turn, your analysis contributes your results back into the scholarly conversation on the topic.
The key to finding good sources lies in understanding the multiple types of sources available and ensuring they are scholarly, accurate, and relevant.
Types of sources for historical research include:
Formats of sources found in the library include:
Scholarly writing or academic scholarship tends to come from people (like your professors) producing knowledge and engaging in conversation with fellow scholars in their field. This work may be published in academic journals, as a book, a chapter in an edited volume, or an online publication.
Learn to recognize scholarly sources with the following criteria:
Remember- academic scholarship is only one type of information source. It isn't necessarily more credible or valid than other types of sources. Always be thinking critically about the author's methodologies and data analysis, and look for clear biases and political perspectives.
Let's look at the scholarly article below:
Look at the article assigned to your group. Analyze it by answering the following questions:
Group 1: Why the ethics of octopus farming are so troubling
Group 2: Why Not Eat Octopus?
Group 3:
Group 4: What is in an octopus's mind?
The basic rules for evaluating a source for quality are the same as the "5 W's" of journalism: Who, What, When, Where, and Why.
Who produced the document, image, video, sound file, etc. and what do you know about them, their credentials, their perspectives, and their motives?
What is the factual or emotional content of the source and does it reflect reality? Can you find corroborating evidence in other sources? Are any other sources cited?
When was it produced and does that time frame alter its potential usefulness or suggest contextual historical or social factors that should be considered?
Where was it published and does that publisher evaluate sources before publishing them? Does the place of publication reflect on the competence or impartiality of the source? Does the publisher have policies regarding verification of facts, language, or cultural/political perspective you should be aware of? Is this a re-publication and, if so, where was it originally published?
Why was the item produced and published? To educate? To entertain? To influence? To sell something? To promote the creator? To engage a community?
Finding peer-reviewed articles: When you are searching for academic, scholarly, peer-reviewed articles, the best place to start is to use the "Articles" tab on the library homepage, which has default filters set to scholarly articles in English. Some databases, such as Academic Search Complete and other Ebsco databases also have this feature on the initial search screen.
One note: A journal may be peer-reviewed, but that doesn’t mean that all information in that journal is actually refereed, or reviewed. For example, editorials, letters to the editor, or book reviews aren’t peer-reviewed parts of the journal.
Use the hints below to get you started.
How do you determine if it’s a peer-reviewed journal article?
1. Check the journal title - often you can click on the title of the journal to get more information about the journal, including whether or not it is considered peer-reviewed. Review the journal’s publication details to see if it is peer-reviewed. If the journal is available online, look at the details provided within the database about publication. Many databases like Academic Search provide a link and provides publication details, including scope and type of journal, including whether it is peer-reviewed.
2. Check Ulrichsweb (on the Databases’ list) to determine if the journal is indicated as being peer-reviewed.
3. Look at the official Web site of the journal on the Web. Check About or Submission Guidelines to see if it states that the journal is peer-reviewed. Don’t just look at web pages about the journal – go to the publisher’s web page for the most accurate information.
[adapted from http://www.angelo.edu/services/library/handouts/peerrev.php]