In SOBA 200, and all your courses, it is critical to evaluate your sources. Your professors expect you to gather high-quality information that comes from authoritative sources. Therefore you need to carefully evaluate every information source before including it in your papers, projects, and presentations.
A credible source is a trustworthy source. Here are criteria to check a source for credibility:
Not sure if your article is peer reviewed? Look for these clues:
Author. The author's credentials & institution should be listed. Authors of peer reviewed articles typically have graduate degrees and are a faculty member at a university.
Abstract. Many peer reviewed articles begin with an abstract, which is a paragraph summarizing the research.
Audience. Peer reviewed articles are written for scholars, researchers, & students who are knowledgeable about the topic, and likely use specialized terminology.
Purpose. What is the purpose of the article? Does the author want to support findings of a research project, present a case study, make an argument that is supported by evidence or research, etc.?
References. Peer reviewed articles typically include a bibliography that cites other peer reviewed sources.