4. AUTHORITY: Who wrote it and WHY?
CONTENT: Is it more than a brochure?
DOCUMENTATION: Does it support its facts?
CURRENCY: When was it updated?
5. What is a Domain?
Part of a web address indicating the origin of a website
Domain Example Author/Sponsor
.com www.espn.com For-profit entity
.edu library.ucok.edu Educational institution
.org www.sierraclub.org Non-profit entity
.gov www.fda.gov US government
.ok.us www.health.state.ok.us State government
.co.uk www.bbc.co.uk Outside US
.net pages.prodigy.net Private server
6. The Information Cycle in the Sciences
Radio & TV &
Internet
Newspapers
Magazines
Scholarly
Research
journal articles
Conferences & Books
Professional
Society Meetings
8. Peer-reviewed vs. Popular
Peer-reviewed
Written by a scholar or a researcher
Written for academia
Full documentation
Original or primary research
Popular
Written for general public
Written by reporters or free-lance writers
No or minimal documentation
No original research- secondary literature
9. THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND…
Just because your article is from peer-reviewed journal…
•It’s not always a research article
•Research is never “over”
•If mentioned in pop lit article– Biased?
10. DOUBLE-CHECKING PEER-REVIEWED
Ulrich’s Periodical Directory
“Find Articles (Databases)”
Gives information about serials
Does NOT provide articles
Use journal not article name when searching