Evaluation+and+use+of+Journal+Articles

Evaluation and Use of Journal Articles

Why use journal articles?


 * Current up to date information
 * Subject specific forums for discussion

** Types of Journals **

Aimed at non-professionals Large amounts of advertising Illustrated No bibliographies Staff writers, may be unsigned || Aimed at a specific audience, often business related Promote new products or techniques Staff and contributing authors May have short bibliographies Some advertising, related areas || Less glossy, less colour Aimed at researchers and professionals Information about current research Contributing authors, often peer reviewed or refereed Bibliographies Few advertisements || Who weekly Reader’s Digest || New Scientist Psychology today || Journal of Food and Nutrition Nature Ecos ||
 * ** Popular ** || ** Trade ** || ** Scholarly ** ||
 * Eye catching, glossy, use of colour
 * The Bulletin

Consider the following when evaluating: **PABACCOBI**

What is the **purpose** of the article?
 * To persuade you to a viewpoint?
 * To prove a theory?
 * To inform about new information

Who is the intended **audience**?
 * General population
 * School children
 * University students
 * Professionals or specialists
 * Scholars or researchers

Is there **bias**?
 * Conservative/left wing
 * Alternative press
 * Political or action group
 * Sponsored research

** Authority ** of the author
 * Who is the author
 * Is he/she recognised in field
 * What else have they published

** Currency ** of the article
 * Is it up-to-date
 * Timeless
 * Out of date

What is the **coverage** of the article?
 * Is it a comprehensive summary of the field
 * Partial
 * Overview

How is the article **organised**?
 * Is it focussed and easy to follow
 * Is the argument clearly presented
 * Is this original research, a review of previous research or informative

Is a **bibliography** included?
 * Is it easily understood
 * Short or long
 * Primary or secondary sources

** Illustrations **
 * Do they assist the reader’s understanding
 * Are they relevant to the article

** How to find journal articles **

[|Online databases]  ||   || [|Internet Public Library] || [|Newspaper websites] [|Internet Public Library] ||
 * || ** Periodicals ** || ** Newspapers ** ||
 * ** State Library of Victoria ** || [|Register as a user of their]
 * ** State Library of Victoria ** || [|Register as a user of their]
 * ** Library ** ||  ||   ||
 * ** Internet ** || [|Journal websites]

=How to Evaluate Journal Articles= [|[Detailed version of How to Evaluate Journal Articles]]

To evaluate a journal article look for:

==
 * **[|Purpose of Article:]** Why was the article written? To: persuade the reader to do something? inform the reader? prove something?
 * **[|Type of Journal:]** For college-level term papers, information should be obtained mostly from **scholarly** journals. See also [|Evaluation Clues for Articles Taken from the Web]
 * **Organization and** **Content:** Is the material organized and focused? Is the argument or presentation understandable? Is this original research, a review of previous research, or an informative piece?
 * [|**Bias**] (of the publisher)
 * **[|Date of Article]**
 * **[|Bibliography]**
 * **[|Usefulness]**: Is the article relevant to the current research project?
 * **Authority/author:** Is the author an expert in this field? Where is the author employed? What else has he/she written? Has he/she won awards or honors?
 * **Coverage:** Does the article cover the topic comprehensively, partially, or is it an overview?
 * **[|Audience:]** For what type of reader is the author writing?
 * **Illustrations:** Are charts, graphs, maps, photographs, etc. used to illustrate concepts? Are the illustrations relevant? Are they clear and professional-looking?