Biology 161 General Biology I Ecology and Evolution

An article is defined as a piece of writing shorter than a book, appearing in a newspaper, magazine, periodical, journal, or anthology.  To be scholarly, an article must be based on research and include documentation of all sources.

• articles present the most recent published literature on any topic
• articles are published in periodicals

What is a peer-reviewed article?

Peer review is the system used to assess the quality of a manuscript before it is published. Independent researchers in the relevant research area assess submitted manuscripts for originality, validity and significance to help editors determine whether a manuscript should be published in their journal.

Source: BioMedCentral. (n/a). Peer review process. https://www.biomedcentral.com/getpublished/peer-review-process

Peer-review process for publication in a journal. The process is completed before the article is accepted and published in a journal article. 

Source: Scientific Forefront Journal. (n/a). Publication process. http://www.scientificforefront.org/publicationprocess.php

Here are five common components of primary research articles in the sciences. Check your source for these to help determine if you are looking at a primary source.

1. Written by experts who did the research

In a primary source, the authors report on research they conducted themselves. The best way to determine this is to read the introduction of the paper where the authors will explain what they are presenting. If the authors report only about someone else’s research or a different study, it is not primary. 

2. Reports on original research

This is closely tied to the first component. Did the authors of the article study something "new?" Did they delve into an issue to explore it further? Look for keywords in the abstract and introduction that tell you that the authors studied something. Keywords to look for include: "measured," "analyzed," and "investigated."

3. Describes how the authors did their study

A primary research article will describe the methods used to conduct the study. It ought to be detailed enough that the study could be replicated. Many primary research articles follow a common format with particular section headings. One of these is "methodology" or "methods." The methodology section is where the authors will explain how they did their study. Looking for this section heading is a good way to check for this factor. Even if this specific heading is missing, your article should still explain this to be primary.

4. Describes the study's results

The article should also clearly explain the results or outcomes of the research. Often you will see statistics, graphs, and/or tables in the article. These depictions of data in primary research articles will differ from the "decorative" images you may see in popular sources. Headings to look at for this factor include "results," "findings," and "discussion."

5. Always includes references

Finally, your primary research article will always include references. These could look like footnotes, a references section, or a works cited at the end of the article. Many articles that are not primary research articles - and even some that are not scholarly - include references. Do not make your decision of whether your article is primary or not based on this factor alone.

Credit: Salt Lake City Community College Library 

In college research, quality information typically comes from credible, reliable, and relevant sources to your field of study. Here's a list of what is generally considered quality information:

Peer-Reviewed Journals - Note: This is the required publication you need for the assignment.

• Articles that experts in the field have reviewed before publication.

• Examples:  Evolution: Education & Outreach, Human Ecology, and Plant Ecology

 Academic Books

• Books published by academic presses or written by experts are often used as textbooks or reference materials.

Government and Institutional Reports

• Official publications from government agencies, research institutions, or professional organizations.

• Examples: Reports from the Society for the Study of Evolution,  Ecological Society of America, and National Institutes of Health (NIH). 

Conference Papers and Proceedings

• Research is presented at academic or professional conferences, often before publication in a peer-reviewed journal.

• Examples: Papers from the Society of the Study of Evolution conference.

Professional and Trade Magazines

• Publications geared toward professionals in a specific industry, often contain practical and up-to-date information.

• Examples:  The Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America (non-refereed publication)

Guidelines and Standards

• Official guidelines and standards are set by professional organizations.

Here are some sources that are generally not acceptable for academic research and your research:

Wikipedia:

• Can be a useful starting point for general information, but it is not a reliable academic source due to the potential for inaccuracies resulting from open editing by anyone. 

Personal Blogs:

• Blogs often reflect personal opinions rather than evidence-based information. They lack the credibility and scholarly rigor required for academic research.

Commercial Websites:

• Websites that are selling products or services, such as health supplements, often present biased information aimed at promoting sales rather than providing objective, evidence-based content.

Social Media Posts:

• Information from social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram is typically not reliable for academic research due to a lack of verification and potential biases.

Popular Magazines and News Outlets:

• While these sources can provide general information and current events, they are not typically written by experts in the field and often lack the depth required for scholarly research.

Self-Published Books:

• Books that are self-published may not have gone through the same editorial process as those published by reputable academic presses, which can affect their reliability.

Questionable Websites:

• Websites with anonymous authorship, lack of citations, or without clear credentials are not reliable for academic research. It's important to evaluate the credibility of the website and the authors before using information from online sources.