Types of Sources
In order to be successful you will need to know how to identify a peer-reviewed or "scholarly" source. These videos can help you learn the difference between the different types of sources, can help you identify the differences between primary and secondary research, and introduce you to the different types of data. This page also provides information on important questions to ask as you determine the quality of the sources you find.
Q: Are master's theses and doctoral dissertations considered scholarly sources?
A: Yes. They are peer-reviewed by committees of experts and are an example of peer-reviewed scholarly work.
Q: Are trade publications considered a scholarly source?
A: No. While they may be selected by their editors for their quality content, and many contain reliable information, they are not generally considered a scholarly source. They are not usually peer-reviewed and the purpose of their publication is to inform an industry, not to further the scholarly conversation.
Q: Are government reports considered a scholarly source?
A: No. Government reports contain valuable and useful information but they are individual piece of information gathered to help policy-makers make a decision and are not peer-reviewed scholarship produced to further the study of a specific field. While government reports can form a piece of your reference list, you would need other scholarly articles to support the information.
There are many methods for critically considering information resources. One is Joseph Bizup's BEAM model.
The BEAM method is especially helpful when deciding how to use a resource.
B: Background Background information is general information or factual evidence used to provide context
E: Exhibit Exhibit or Evidence are materials you can analyze or interpret
A: Argument Argument information comes from critical views from other scholars and experts. You can engage with these claims to become part of the scholarly conversation. You can refute, refine, extend, build upon, or affirm them.
M: Method Method information refers to the methods or theories used by the author to analyze and interpret the evidence. You can use these to adopt a concept, a work process, or a manner of thinking.
Learn more on our guide to Evaluating Information with BEAM
When looking at an information source, try asking yourself the Five W's.
Currency: the timeliness of the information
Relevance: the importance of the information for your needs
Authority: the source of the information
Accuracy: the reliability, truthfulness, and correctness of the content
Purpose: the reason the information exists
By scoring each category on a scale from 1 to 10 (1 = worst, 10=best possible) you can give each site a grade on a 50 point scale for how high quality it is!
45 - 50 Excellent | 40 - 44 Good | 35 - 39 Average | 30 - 34 Borderline Acceptable | Below 30 - Unacceptable
Predatory journals are money-making scams that do not contribute to the scholarly conversation. They take advantage of authors by charging fees to publish, and they do not follow best practices for peer review.
Adapted from: Shameer, L., Moher, D., Maduekwe, O., Turner, L., Barbour, V., Burch, R., Clark, J. Galipeau, J., Roberts, J., & Shea, B.J. (2017). Potential predatory and legitimate biomedical journals: can you tell the difference? A cross-section comparison. BMC Medicine, 15(28). 10.1186/s12916-017-0785-9