Library Research Guides
Library Research Guides
When you think about any source of information, these are some questions you can pose to evaluate it.
who is the author? what are their qualifications?
what was the editing process? was it self-published? was it peer reviewed? was it a professional publisher--newspaper, magazine, book, academic journal?
where did the author get their information? are credible sources cited in a reference list or hyperlinked?
when was it published? is it timely for your topic?
why did the author write this? why was it published? was the purpose to educate, inform, sell, persuade, other? is there an agenda or unfair bias?
how is this source relevant to your research topic?
is this source credible?
Wikipedia can be really useful when you need to understand a concept that you are unfamiliar with. One problem with citing Wikipedia and using it as a source for your college assignments is the issue of authority. Because anyone in the world with access can update and change Wikipedia entries there is a concern of inaccurate information. Scholars at the university usually prefer that you cite sources that are not flexible / changeable. Again, Wikipedia can be helpful to inform you about a concept - just find other sources to verify the information and to cite in your assignments.
Science is a weekly, peer-reviewed journal that publishes significant original scientific research, plus reviews and analyses of current research and science policy.
A primary research publication
Journal of Ecology publishes original articles on all aspects of the ecology of plants (including algae), in both aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems.
Annals of Botany is an international plant science journal publishing novel and rigorous research in all areas of plant science.
Fungal Biology publishes original contributions in all fields of basic and applied research involving fungi and fungus-like organisms (including oomycetes and slime moulds).
The Journal of Zoology publishes high-quality research papers on animal behaviour, ecology, physiology, anatomy, developmental biology, evolution, systematics, genetics and genomics.
For the purposes of this class, there is no required citation style, but you must cite your sources!
Research Guides by Egan Library | University of Alaska Southeast are licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0
