Researching for Biology Labs: Evaluating your sources

Perhaps the first step in evaluating any source is to determine whether or not it is scholarly.  Many professors require students to use exclusively scholarly sources in their research, so it is important to know what scholarly sources are and how to identify them.

Scholarly sources are authored by scholars and professionals who are experts in their fields.  They generally provide original research, or reviews and analyses of others' research.  They are often subject to a peer review process prior to publication, in which other experts review the work to ensure that it meets the standards of quality academic research. These reviewers (also called referees) may accept the work as it is, make recommendations for its improvement, or reject its publication outright.  This process helps to ensure that scholarly sources are accurate and credible.

Scholarly sources are also referred to as academic, peer reviewed, or refereed sources. 

Determining whether or not a source should be considered scholarly is not always straightforward.  There are, however, many clues to look for that can lead you to make a confident decision about each source you're considering.  The questions below should help you in recognizing and uncovering these clues.  Some only apply to particular kinds of sources.

• Is the source peer reviewed?  Some sources (especially scholarly journals) explicitly state that their contents have undergone a peer review process.  This information can usually be found on the journal's website.  Peer reviewed sources are scholarly sources.
• Does the author have credentials and institutional affiliations relevant to the topic of the source? Scholarly sources are written by experts in their field.  It is helpful, then, to know the author's credentials and affiliations.  This information may not be provided in the source, and so may require an Internet search.  Be wary of any source that is not written by a scholar or professional in its field of study.
• Who is the publisher?  Certain publishers are more likely to print scholarly works than others.  Academic institutions (e.g. Oxford University Press), professional organizations (e.g. American Psychological Association), and government offices or departments (e.g. Department of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Development) typically publish trustworthy materials.  Publishing companies may publish scholarly and non-scholarly works, though many specialize in one or the other.  Routledge, for example, is a prolific publisher of academic books, journals, and online resources.  Conversely, Penguin Random House prints popular materials for a general public audience.
• Who is the intended audience?  This may not be immediately clear, but a closer examination of the source should help you to determine whether the author is writing to the general public or to others with a specialized knowledge of the subject area.  Scholarly sources are written by experts, for experts, so be especially cautious with any source that doesn't seem to assume a reader familiar with the discipline.
• Does the source include citations?  Scholarly sources are founded on extensive academic research and always cite their sources.  Look for footnotes, endnotes, a reference list, or a bibliography, and ensure that most of the sources cited also appear scholarly.  Few or no citations, or citations for non-academic works, are signs suggesting that you are not looking at a scholarly source.
• How is the information presented in the source?  Unlike many popular sources, scholarly sources don't aim to attract the reader with glossy pages and colourful pictures and font.  Most academic works consist primarily of text, though some may include many graphs, charts, and diagrams.  When there are pictures, they are usually used sparingly and only to support points made in the text.  Be wary of sources that are heavily illustrated with many colour graphics.

NOTE: When determining whether or not an article in a serial publication is scholarly, you may also want to consult the table on the evaluating articles page.

Just because information has been printed in a journal or similar serial publication doesn't mean that it is necessarily accurate or appropriate to use in your research.  Consider asking the following questions before citing an article in your work:

Authority: Can you trust the source?

• Who is the author? What are the author's credentials or other qualifications? Is the author a recognized authority in the relevant field of study?

• Is the article published in a reputable scholarly journal (see table below)?  Did the article undergo a peer review process (see section on Ulrichsweb below)?

• How many times has the article been cited by other researchers?

Currency: Is the information up to date?

• When was the article published?

• Is the information time-sensitive? Some types of information   go out of date quickly (e.g. medical knowledge).

Purpose: Why was the article written?

• Who is the intended audience? Is the article written for an academic or popular audience?

• Does the author present a balanced view of the topic? Are opposing viewpoints and counterevidence acknowledged?

• Can you identify any major conflicts of interest (e.g. medical researchers employed or funded by pharmaceutical companies)?

Content: Is the information that the article presents quality academic research?

• Is the article organized in a logical and understandable manner?

• Are the author's arguments well-reasoned and supported by sufficient evidence?

• Does the article include a bibliography or reference list? Is it lengthy? Are the materials cited primarily scholarly sources?  Are they a mix of primary and secondary sources, or only secondary sources?

It can sometimes be difficult to tell the difference between scholarly journals and other periodicals (such as trade journals and popular magazines). Here are a few things to consider:

What is peer review?

Peer review is the system used to assess the quality of a manuscript before it is published. Independent researchers in the relevant research area assess submitted manuscripts for originality, validity and significance to help editors determine whether a manuscript should be published in their journal.

How does it work?

When a manuscript is submitted to a journal, it is assessed to see if it meets the criteria for submission. If it does, the editorial team will select potential peer reviewers within the field of research to peer-review the manuscript and make recommendations.

There are three main types of peer review used by BMC:

Single-blind: the reviewers know the names of the authors, but the authors do not know who reviewed their manuscript unless the reviewer chooses to sign their report.

Double-blind: the reviewers do not know the names of the authors, and the authors do not know who reviewed their manuscript.

Open peer: authors know who the reviewers are, and the reviewers know who the authors are. If the manuscript is accepted, the named reviewer reports are published alongside the article.

Different journals use different types of peer review. You can find out which peer-review system is used by a particular journal in the journal’s ‘About’ page.

Why do peer review?

Peer review is an integral part of scientific publishing that confirms the validity of the manuscript. Peer reviewers are experts who volunteer their time to help improve the manuscripts they review. By undergoing peer review, manuscripts should become:

More robust - peer reviewers may point out gaps in a paper that require more explanation or additional experiments.

Easier to read - if parts of your paper are difficult to understand, reviewers can suggest changes.

More useful - peer reviewers also consider the importance of your paper to others in your field.

From BioMed Central: Peer Review Process, https://www.biomedcentral.com/getpublished/peer-review-process

The Web can be a valuable research tool, but not all online sources are equally credible. Because anyone can publish anything online, it is important to think critically about the information you find on the Web. Before you cite an online source in your work, consider the questions below.  Also, remember that many quality sources are not available on the Internet, especially for free.  Be sure to consult the library's print and electronic collections when conducting research.

Authority: Can you trust the source?

• Can you identify the author?

• If the author is an individual, what are his or her credentials or other qualifications? Is the author a recognized authority in the relevant field of study?

• If the author is a corporation, government body, or special interest group, what can you find out about the organization?

• What is the domain of the website?  Some domains (e.g. .edu, .gov, .gc.ca) indicate that the webpage is hosted by a government or educational institution.  These are more likely to provide reliable information. 

Currency: Is the information up to date?

• Are you able to determine when the website or webpage was created?  When was the page last updated?

• Is the information time-sensitive? Some types of information   go out of date quickly (e.g. medical knowledge).

Purpose: Why was the website/page created?

• Who is the intended audience? Is the information written for an academic or popular audience?

• Is the website/page intended to inform? To persuade? To sell a product?

• Does the author present a balanced view of the topic? Are opposing viewpoints acknowledged?

Content: Is the information that the website/page presents quality academic research?

• Is the website/page organized in a logical and understandable manner?

• Are the author's arguments well-reasoned and supported by sufficient evidence?  Can you verify the information elsewhere?

• Does the author cite his or her sources? Are there many citations? Are the materials cited primarily scholarly sources?  Are they a mix of primary and secondary sources, or only secondary sources?

How can I determine whether a particular journal is peer reviewed?

Most databases will allow you to limit your search to peer reviewed articles. You will usually see this option on the database's advanced search page.

If you're unsure about a particular journal, you can look the journal up in Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory to check its publication information and determine whether or not it's peer reviewed.

What is Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory?

Ulrichsweb is a database that contains authoritative information about more than 300,000 periodicals. It includes bibliographic and publisher information for peer reviewed journals, popular magazines, newspapers, newsletters, etc.

How do I look up a journal in Ulrichsweb?

To determine whether a particular journal is peer reviewed, enter the title of the journal in the search bar on the Ulrichsweb homepage:

You will see a list of results matching your search terms:

Once you have located the journal, check the columns on the left. The black icon indicates a refereed (peer reviewed) journal: