BIS 103: Bioenergetics and Metabolism

Accuracy

Does the author cite references to support her/his thesis? Are the references also from credible sources?

Authority

Who produced the information? What can you find about the author’s credentials? What is the reputation of the journal or the institution the author comes from?

Objectivity

Is the content presented as fact or speculation? What is the source’s purpose? Is there bias (many research articles now have to have a conflict of interest statement about their funders)

Timeframe

When was the source written/created? Is the information still relevant?  A molecular sciences article may be outdated within 5 years while an article on basic biology (protein structure, taxonomy, anatomy) may be valid for decades.

A useful similar method to evaluate websites — CRAAP test: Currency, Relevance, Authority, Accuracy, Purpose

Abstract

A brief summary of the main points in a book, article or other work.

Bibliography

A list of works cited at the end of an article, book or other information source.

Catalog

A list of records that represent the holdings (what is owned) of a library.

Database

An organized, searchable collection of information, often related to a specific subject area. One of the primary tools for locating articles by topic. Most subject databases available through the library are licensed resources with access restrictions.

Peer Review

A process through which manuscripts submitted to a journal are evaluated for quality by one or more subject experts (in addition to the editor) before being accepted for publication.

Scholarly Journal

A publication containing articles that usually has undergone peer review, a process through which manuscripts submitted to a journal are evaluated for quality by one or more subject experts (in addition to the editor) before being accepted for publication.  Some very specialized scholarly journals may have articles assessed only by the editor because of the narrow scope of the journal.

• Scientific Literature Publication Cycle [Diagram]

  University of New Mexico

  Illustration of scientific research process using a clockwise timeline with indication of earliest research output to latter outputs of research process. Describes the type of literature generated at different points in the publishing cycle and the types of assimilation into secondary and tertiary literature.

Guide provided by the UCD Health Sciences Libraries to their eBook collections including a select list of major textbooks.   Click on the “Select eBooks by Subject” link to get to the books organized by medical specialties.   Medical textbooks are an excellent source for authoritative knowledge about diseases and disorders including standard information on:   clinical presentation (symptoms), pathogenesis, diagnosis, treatment/therapy and much more.

Health Sciences eBooks

Subject Guides

There is a subject guide matching nearly every department at the UC Davis campus.  Find the Subject Guide which best matches your major!  This browsable list is organized by broad disciplinary categories:  Agricultural & Environmental Sciences, Arts & Humanities, Biological Sciences, Engineering & Transportation, General & Multidisciplinary Sources, Government Information, Health Sciences, Physical Sciences, and Social Sciences

Peer Review

A process through which manuscripts submitted to a journal are evaluated for quality — by one or more subject experts in addition to the editor — before being accepted for publication.

ProQuest article databases (such as PsycINFO) include a checkbox to limit to “Peer Reviewed” articles. For journals retrieved from other databases, use the online Ulrich’s Periodicals Directory to locate your journal and then look for the black and white striped  symbol or referee shirt    indicating the publication is “Refereed”.

Clarivate Analytics Journal Citation Reports is a comprehensive tool for assessing the importance of research journals in disciplines and subdisciplines.

NOTE that review journals tend to be listed as top ranked titles, pushing rankings for original research titles lower, so use with caution.  Typical review series may have the following words in their title: Advances in … ; Annual Review of …; Critical Reviews in … ; Current Opinion in … ; Expert Reviews in … ; International Review of … ; Progress in … ; Trends in …

Journal Citation Reports (JCR) 

Journal Citation Reports (JCR) is an annual publication by Thomson Reuters with each yearly data analysis being completed in the summer of the following year. JCR indicates: most frequently cited journals in a field: highest impact journals in a field; and largest journals in a field. JCR Science Edition contains data from over 7,300 journals in science and technology. JCR Social Sciences Edition contains data from over 2,200 journals in the social sciences. NOTE: For disciplines that have longer timespans for citation, consider sorting for ranking by using the 5-year Impact Factor sort.
Release Coverage: 1997-2015 (for 1996-2014 data)
•Impact Factors in Wikipedia: validity, manipulation, and misuse of Impact Factors
•Using JCR Wisely