Vast amounts of information have been published in print and electronic format. However, not all of it is reliable for use in class assignments and research. Some of your instructors may specify that information found on the Internet be limited to domains with a URL ending of .edu or .gov. since much reputable research stems from these educational and government entities. There is not a clear distinction of which URL ending guarantees reliability. For instance, .org includes organizations that present balanced research, i.e. The American Medical Association, www.ama-assn.org, but other organizations that carry the .org ending may be motivated by profit or bias. Other URL endings are .mil for military, .net for network, .com and .cc for commercial. In addition to the URL ending it is wise to consider the following additional criteria for electronic information and for print resources.

 

 


Purpose. Is it to report research? Or to inform, persuade, sell a product?
Objectivity. Is the informational content free from advertising or opinion?
Authority. Is the author identified? Are credentials listed?
Currency. Is the date of publication (or web page update) vital to the subject?
Coverage. Is the information an excerpt and possibly out of context?

Primary, Secondary and Tertiary Information
A primary source is an account by an eye witness or the first recorder of an event, i.e. autobiographies, literary works
A secondary source is an interpretation of primary data, i.e. review articles
A tertiary source and beyond are interpretations of primary and secondary sources and inaccuracies may abound

Scholarly and Non-scholarly Periodicals
Periodicals are publications, such as newspapers, popular magazines and professional journals, that are published according to a schedule (daily, monthly, annually, etc.). Periodicals may be scholarly or non-scholarly (trade and popular) publications.

Scholarly periodicals are intended for an academic or research audience for the purpose of sharing the results of original research and experiments in a specific discipline. The periodicals may be published by an academic institution or professional organization. The words "Journal," "Proceedings," or "Quarterly" may appear in the title. Articles have abstracts and sections for literature review, methodology, results, conclusions, suggested further study and bibliographies. Extensive graphs, charts or tables may be included with formal and technical language. Many of the periodicals are refereed which means that an editorial board of experts (members usually listed near beginning of each issue) in the discipline have reviewed the article prior to publication. Examples are Journal of Marriage and Family, Harvard Theological Review, and JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association.

Non-scholarly periodicals are those intended for a diverse audience. Trade and popular magazines are included. Trade magazines provide useful information about a particular industry and may contain valuable information for class assignments. However, they are basically for-profit entities and contain advertising directed to readers in the industry field. Examples are "PC World" and "Taxidermy Trade Journal." It is best to ask your instructor if a specific title is acceptable for research papers. Popular magazines appeal to the general public. Their goal is to entertain in order to gain profit for the publisher.