A-manual-for-writers-of-research-papers-theses-and-dissertations

paragraphs.Skim the first paragraph or two after each subhead, if any.If your source is online, do this:If it looks like a printed article, follow the steps for a journal article.Skim any section labeled “Introduction,” “Overview,” “Summary,” or the like. If there isnone, look for a link labeled “About the Site” or something similar.If the site has a link labeled “Site Map” or “Index,” follow it and check the list, lookingfor keywords related to your question or its answers. Click to skim those pages.If the site has a “search” resource, type in keywords from your topic.3.4.2 Evaluate the Reliability of Print SourcesYou can't judge a source until you read it, but there are signs of its reliability:1. Is the author a reputable scholar? Most publications cite an author's academiccredentials; you can find more with a search engine. Most established scholars are reliable,but be cautious if the topic is a contested social issue such as gun control or abortion. Evenreputable scholars can have axes to grind, especially if their research is supported by aspecial interest group.2. Is the source current? Many reputable scholars write books and articles popularizing theresearch of others. But by the time you read them, these tertiary sources may be out ofdate. How fast a source dates varies by subject, so check with someone who knows yourfield. For journal articles in the social sciences, more than ten years is pushing the limit.For books, figure fifteen or so. Publications in the humanities have a longer life span.3. Is the source published by a reputable press? You can trust most university presses,especially those at well-known schools. Before they publish a manuscript, they ask expertsto review it (a process called peer review). You can also trust some commercial presses insome fields, such as Norton in literature, Ablex in sciences, or West in the law. Beskeptical of a commercial book that makes sensational claims, even if its author has a PhDafter his name.4. Was the article peer-reviewed? Most scholarly journals, both print and online, publishonly peer-reviewed articles. Few commercial magazines use peer review, and fewer stillcheck an author's facts. If a report hasn't been peer-reviewed, use it cautiously.5. Has the source received good reviews? If the source is a book published more than ayear ago, it may have been reviewed in a journal in the field. Many fields have indexes topublished reviews that tell you how others evaluate a source. (See the bibliography.)6. Has the source been frequently cited by others? You can roughly estimate how