Credibility Assessment of Peer-reviewed and Non-peer-reviewed Sources
Credibility Assessment of Peer-reviewed and Non-peer-reviewed Sources
First Last
ABC University
Abstract
Doctoral students have a wealth of readily available information from which to conduct research. Not all of this information is credible. The challenge for the doctoral student is to pick high quality sources. This paper will discuss peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed sources, and how the CARS Checklist can help find credible material for research.
Credibility Assessment of Peer-reviewed and Non-peer-reviewed Sources In order to advance the current knowledge of their field, doctoral students must be able to assess the credibility of information. SINTEF, the largest independent research organization in Scandinavia, assessed that 90% of all the data in the world has been created in the last few years (“About SINTEF,” n.d.; Dragland, 2013). This information is of an extensive variety, created for many purposes with a wide range of quality and reliability (Harris, 2013). To gauge credibility, students must understand the difference between peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed sources and utilize a method for assessing the credibility of those sources.
Peer-reviewed Sources Peer-reviewed, or refereed journals, refer only to journals where the quality of the published articles has been vetted by specialists (Engle, 2013). Journal editors submit articles to experts in the same field who act as impartial reviewers of the information (Bladek, 2013). Unlike non-peer reviewed sources, these articles usually include source citations (Engle). Articles that pass review and are accepted for publication epitomize the best research in the field (Bladek). Peer-reviewed sources are reliable sources of information.
Non-peer-reviewed Sources Non-peer-reviewed sources include substantive news, popular and sensational articles (Engle, 2008). Substantive news items may use reliable information sources, but popular and sensational articles
First Last
ABC University
Abstract
Doctoral students have a wealth of readily available information from which to conduct research. Not all of this information is credible. The challenge for the doctoral student is to pick high quality sources. This paper will discuss peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed sources, and how the CARS Checklist can help find credible material for research.
Credibility Assessment of Peer-reviewed and Non-peer-reviewed Sources In order to advance the current knowledge of their field, doctoral students must be able to assess the credibility of information. SINTEF, the largest independent research organization in Scandinavia, assessed that 90% of all the data in the world has been created in the last few years (“About SINTEF,” n.d.; Dragland, 2013). This information is of an extensive variety, created for many purposes with a wide range of quality and reliability (Harris, 2013). To gauge credibility, students must understand the difference between peer-reviewed and non-peer-reviewed sources and utilize a method for assessing the credibility of those sources.
Peer-reviewed Sources Peer-reviewed, or refereed journals, refer only to journals where the quality of the published articles has been vetted by specialists (Engle, 2013). Journal editors submit articles to experts in the same field who act as impartial reviewers of the information (Bladek, 2013). Unlike non-peer reviewed sources, these articles usually include source citations (Engle). Articles that pass review and are accepted for publication epitomize the best research in the field (Bladek). Peer-reviewed sources are reliable sources of information.
Non-peer-reviewed Sources Non-peer-reviewed sources include substantive news, popular and sensational articles (Engle, 2008). Substantive news items may use reliable information sources, but popular and sensational articles
References: About SINTEF. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.sintef.no/home/About-us/ Bladek, M. (2013). Subject Guides. Evaluating Information Sources. What Is A Peer-Reviewed Article?. Retrieved from http://guides.lib.jjay.cuny.edu/content.php?pid=209679&sid=1746812 CARS Checklist. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://library.waldenu.edu/884.htm Dragland, Å. (2013). Big Data – for better or worse. Retrieved from http://www.sintef.no/home/Press-Room/Research-News/Big-Data--for-better-or-worse/ Engle, M. (2013). Cornell University Library Guides. Distinguishing Scholarly from Non-Scholarly Periodicals: A Checklist of Criteria. Introduction & Definitions. Retrieved from http://guides.library.cornell.edu/scholarlyjournals Harris, R. (2013). Evaluating Internet Research Sources. Retrieved from http://www.virtualsalt.com/evalu8it.htm Metzger, M. (2007). Making Sense of Credibility on the Web: Models for Evaluating Online Information and Recommendations for Future Research. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology, 58(13):2078–2091, DOI 10.1002/asi