myGate | Canvas | murraystate.edu
Scholarly journals have collections of articles written by experts in academic or professional fields to keep others interested in that field, up-to-date on the most recent research, findings, and news. These articles are reviewed by a journal editorial board or experts in the specific discipline (peer-reviewed).
Popular Sources are articles, blog posts, and news feeds that are written primarily by journalists to inform the general public about interesting and newsworthy events. These articles may or may not be subject to a review process and should be heavily evaluated before use. Popular articles are not peer-reviewed.
Popular | Age | |
---|---|---|
Who is the Author? | Primarily journalists | Researchers, Scholars and Professors |
Who is the the targeted audience? | The general public | Students, scholars, and researchers |
What is the purpose of the article? | To inform the public and sell newspapers/magazines | To advance understanding in a field of study |
Are there citations? | Not often | Always |
Are there ads? | Most of the time | Rarely |
Are current events covered? | Yes | No - the peer review process takes time |
Examples | Time Magazine | Journal of Mathematical Chemistry |
If a resource you found is relevant to your topic….then ask the following questions:
Authority:
If the resource is a web page, it is often difficult to determine who the author(s) or creator(s) are, let alone their credentials or qualifications. But try to find answers for the following questions.
Bias:
Currency: