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McLean HS FCPS
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McLean High School Library Website: Source Types

Popular vs. Scholarly Sources

Popular vs. Scholarly

Popular vs. Scholarly Sources

Scholarly vs. Popular

Primary vs. Secondary Sources

Analyzing Scholarly Sources

Evaluating a Research Article

When evaluating a research article, consider the following:
  1. In what journal or publication did the source originally appear?  Is the article from a peer reviewed publication?  What can you learn about the source (through a SIFT evaluation).
  2. Does the article have a stated research problem or question?
  3. Toes the article include previous scholarship, as related to the topic?
  4. Do you agree with the authors interpretations and conclusions?   Why or why not?
  5. Is the article logically organized and easy to follow?
  6. What was the most interesting and/or relevant part of the article?  What are the article's strengths and weaknesses?
 
Adapted from: 
Leedy, Paul D., et al. Practical Research : Planning and Design. Twelfth edition
     ed., Pearson, 2019.