Currency
Is the copyright or publication date current?
If the material is dated, justification should be included for using outdated material.
Is the material to be used for background or historical purposes?
Relevance
How is this document useful to your research?
How does it directly relate to the research that you are investigating?
Authority
Who is the author/publisher/source/sponsor? What are the credentials of the author/publisher/source/sponsor? What is the author’s occupation, position, titles, education, experience, etc.? Is the author/publisher/
source/sponsor qualified (or not) to write on this subject?
Does the source provide accurate information (cite its sources) and is it trustworthy?
Purpose
What is the purpose for writing this document or doing this research? Does the author/publisher/source/sponsor have a bias or make assumptions within the source? Does the author have a hidden agenda? Is the source trying to sell you something, or is it trying to persuade you to think a certain way? Is it fact or opinion?
PAR =
PURPOSE
AUTHORITY
RELEVANCE
Are your sources on PAR with your assignment?
Click below to link to 3-minute tutorial created by Vanderbilt University Library
Peabody Library provides a brief overview on what makes a scholarly periodical different from a popular periodical. Created by Eli Moody, 2007.
What is a long read?
Long reads or long form journalism are popular periodical articles. Although, they are not considered scholarly or peer reviewed articles, they do provide in-depth coverage of the topic being discussed.
A long read is usually a document/article that someone spends at least 10 minutes reading and is usually 1500 words or longer (1500 words is about 3-4 pages single spaced or 7-8 pages double spaced.).
Example of Long Read article in Atlantic
Twenge, Jean M. “Has the Smartphone Destroyed a Generation?” Atlantic, vol. 320, no. 2, Sept. 2017, pp. 58–65. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=124311558&site=ehost-live. [Academic Search Premier Database]
permalink to article:
http://librda.mville.edu:2048/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=124311558&site=ehost-live
Or the same exact article with a different title in the online subscription to the publication:
Twenge, Jean M. “Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation?” Atlantic, Sept. 2017, https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2017/09/has-the-smartphone-destroyed-a-generation/534198/ [web version]
Example of Long Read article in New Yorker:
Schulman, Michael. “The Force Is with Them.” New Yorker, vol. 95, no. 27, Sept. 2019, pp. 26–31. EBSCOhost, search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=138469524&site=ehost-live. [Academic Search Premier Database]
permalink to article: http://librda.mville.edu:2048/login?url=https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=138469524&site=ehost-live
Or the same exact article with a different title in the online subscription to the publication:
Schulman, Michael. “Superfans: A Love Story,” New Yorker, 9 Sept. 2019, https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2019/09/16/superfans-a-love-story [web version]
This 3.41 minute video from the University of Washington explains the process by which information is published.
Reading scholarly articles can be challenging. The key is to break it down into steps. The reader should begin by reading the title, abstract and conclusions first. Then go back to reading the entire article.
Magazines, newspapers, broadcasters and organizations may have a reputation for being politically left or right. The mental model is a horizontal line with starting on the left with progressive, liberal, moderate or centerist, continuing right with conservative, ultra-conservative sources. They may be associated with a particular political party, religious movement, denomination, or be secular, or they may have a one-issue cause (environmentalists). Some media outlets readily acknowledge a bias while others have unacknowledged bias and still others strive to present a variety of viewpoints. Knowing the source’s reputation alerts the reader to bias in the information it provides. Attitude should not be confused with factual accuracy.
