Evaluating Sources - videos
How To Identify a Scholarly Article
TIPS: Scholarly sources are those produced and reviewed by people with recognized expertise in a particular field of study. Scholarly articles are found in scholarly journals - sometimes called peer-reviewed journals. SCF subscribes to databases that provide these academic resources.
To find a scholarly article in a database you can often check a box that limits your search to peer-reviewed journals. This box is sometimes found on a Basic Search, but almost always on an Advanced Search in a database.
Ways to identify an online scholarly or peer-reviewed article:
- Author(s) - Clearly identified author(s) usually with credentials
- References - lists of works cited at the end
- Title - usually descriptive, lengthy and uses professional terms
- Length - is the article 5 pages or longer?
- Ask - check with your Librarian or Professor
- Review - look at the elements of the article. Make sure it has what the assignment requires, such as, tables, conclusions, methodology and other research articles elements.
Evaluating Websites
Fact-checking sites
- FactCheck.orgFactCheck.org is a project of the Annenberg Public Policy Center of the University of Pennsylvania, a nonpartisan, nonprofit “consumer advocate” for voters that aims to reduce the level of deception and confusion in U.S. politics.
- Snopes.comThe snopes.com website was founded by David Mikkelson, who lives and works in the Los Angeles area. What he began in 1995 as an expression of his interest in researching urban legends has since grown into what is widely regarded by folklorists, journalists, and laypersons alike as one of the World Wide Web's essential resources.
- Politifact.comA fact-checking website that rates the accuracy of claims by elected officials and others who speak up in American politics. PolitiFact is run by editors and reporters from the Tampa Bay Times, an independent newspaper in Florida, as is PunditFact, a site devoted to fact-checking pundits.
- Librarians Guide (American Library Association)A compilation of sources, information, and links related to evaluating sources.
The CRAAP Test
- CRAAP Test A useful guide to evaluating resources for currency, relevance, authority, accuracy, and purpose. From the Meriam Library at California State University, Chico.
