Library Hours
The ability to critically evaluate information is an important component of research and information gathering. This video discusses using the CRAAP Test to evaluate the quality of information and sources.
To search for primary sources in the EBSCOhost databases including: Academic Search Complete and History Reference Center, type your search terms than select Primary Source Document from the Publication Type menu:
The world's most valuable and comprehensive scholarly, multi-disciplinary full-text database, with more than 8,500 full-text periodicals and more than 7,300 peer-reviewed journals. In addition to full-text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 12,500 journals and a total of more than 13,200 publications including monographs, reports, conference proceedings, etc. going back as far as 1887.
Offers full text from more than 1,620 reference books, encyclopedias and non-fiction books, cover to cover full text for more than 150 leading history periodicals, nearly 57,000 historical documents, more than 78,000 biographies of historical figures, more than 113,000 historical photos and maps, and more than 80 hours of historical video.
An important part of gathering and evaluating sources for research projects is knowing the difference between popular, scholarly, and trade publications.
The physical appearance of print sources can help you identify the type of source as well. Popular magazines and trade publications are usually glossy with many photos. Scholarly journals are usually smaller and thicker with plain covers and images, In electronic sources you can check for bibliographies and author credentials or affiliations as potential indicators of scholarly sources.
| Popular Magazines | Scholarly (including peer-reviewed) | Trade Publications | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Content |
Current events; general interest articles |
Research results/reports; reviews of research (review articles); book reviews |
Articles about a certain business or industry |
| Purpose | To inform, entertain, or elicit an emotional response | To share research or scholarship with the academic community | To inform about business or industry news, trends, or products |
| Author | Staff writers, journalists, freelancers | Scholars/researchers | Staff writers, business/industry professionals |
| Audience | General public | Scholars, researchers, students | Business/industry professionals |
| Review | Staff editor | Editorial board made up of other scholars and researchers. Some articles are peer-reviewed | Staff editor |
| Citations | May not have citations, or may be informal (ex. according to... or links) | Bibliographies, references, endnotes, footnotes | Few, may or may not have any |
| Frequency | Weekly/monthly | Quarterly or semi-annually | Weekly/monthly |
| Ads* | Numerous ads for a variety of products | Minimal, usually only for scholarly products like books | Ads are for products geared toward specific industry |
| Examples on Publisher Site | Time; Vogue; Rolling Stone; New Yorker | Journal of Southern History; Developmental Psychology; American Literature; New England Journal of Medicine | Pharmacy Times; Oil and Gas Investor Magazine |
| Examples in Library Databases | Time; Rolling Stone; New Yorker | Journal of Southern History; Developmental Psychology; American Literature; New England Journal of Medicine | Pharmacy Times; Oil and Gas Investor Magazine |
*Ads will not be visible when viewing articles through a library database
