1. Navigating Databases & Evaluating Sources
K. Turner
English 101

2. By the End of Class Today
Discuss where to find sources
Discuss how to evaluate sources for credibility, usefulness.
Learn how to find useful articles via UT’s databases.
Evaluate some example sources as a class.

3. Scholarly v. Non-scholarly (Popular)

4. Scholarly Sources

5. Scholarly Sources Also called academic, peer-reviewed, or refereed.
Found in peer-reviewed journals – or journals where academics submit articles to other scholars/experts/academics in their field for review and comment.
Reviewers must agree that the article represents properly conducted, original research or writing before it can be published.

6. How to Tell if a Source is Scholarly
Have a “serious” look:
Written by a scholar in a specific field
ALWAYS cite their sources in either footnotes or bibliographies 
Have gone through a peer-review process
Published by associations and universities 
Don’t have flashy advertisements and glossy photographs. 

7. What Features to Look For
An abstract
Author affiliations
Use of specialized vocabulary
Sometimes graphs
Bibliography

9. UTK Databases ]

10. Non-scholarly Sources

11. How to Tell if a Source is News
Often called ”periodical”
Sometimes cite sources (though more often not)
Authors = editorial staff, reporter or a free-lance writer
Author information is in the byline
Language is geared to any educated audience - no specialty, only interest and a certain level of intelligence
Published by commercial enterprises or individuals
Purpose is to provide information, in a general manner, to a broad audience of concerned citizens.

13. How to Tell if a Source is Popular
Often contains advertising & glossy photos
Are more visually entertaining 
NOT peer-reviewed 
May be written by a variety of staff members, NOT scholars in that field of study 
Primary purpose is to provide information to a broad audience 
Has a commercial publishers
No references are provided in footnotes and/or a bibliography 

14. Evaluating Your Sources

15. Evaluating Sources: How credible is it?
Author:
Is the author an authority in this field? What are their credentials? Their values, beliefs, biases?
Publisher:
Academic journal? Periodical? Other?
Online source:
Sponsor/website type?
“.org”: Professional/nonprofit organizations
“.gov”: Gov’t organizations and departments
“.edu”: School or university
“.net”: network site

16. Evaluating Sources: How useful is it?
Relevant for a given audience?
Contemporary/re cently published?