why is a reliable scholarly source always stressed in academic writing?

Answer 1

Answer 2

Zachary,

From the sciences to the humanities, when working in an academic sphere, the use of scholarly sources is not only standard practice but expected. This emphasis is true whether one is a professional or a student, and the reason for its widespread acceptance is simple: no one knows everything about everything.

Generally, the more time that you spend in a given field, the more focused you become. While it is common to assume that academics have an exhaustive knowledge of various branches of study, this is seldom the case. Instead, it is much more common to have individuals with a limited sphere of expertise. Doing so allows for one to gain a true mastery of his or her work. However, it also means relying on other academics to broaden this narrow focus.

One of the main ways that we achieve this goal is through peer-reviewed work. There is often a misconception that peer-review guarantees the quality of content; this is not true. However, this type of work allows for accountability for the author and provides avenues for researchers who utilize work to see how this research is received in a community.

Without this accountability, it can be extremely challenging to know if the work you are approaching is reputable.

Answer 3

While it can be tempting to use any source in your paper that seems to align with your thesis statement, remember: Not all information is good information. The credibility, quality, and “expertise” of what are defined as scholarly sources will vary, inasmuch as they are produced by academics and/or researchers seeking to understand and categorize the world (“Sources and Citations,” 2008). As students are often required to reference “scholarly sources” in their own academic writing, the question of whether those sources are credible, reliable, relevant, and therefore capable of adequately supporting their claims (i.e., thesis statement) becomes more nuanced. Specifically, the question becomes, “To what extent are those sources credible – and according to whom?” (“Sources and Citations,” 2008). Bearing this in mind, the following strategies are intended to help you assess the quality and reliability of your sources.

For each source you locate, you will want to establish –

1. The author’s background and credentials -- that is, whether they have the necessary expertise to publish on a given topic. To establish their expertise, you will want to search for information that includes their current and former academic affiliations, previous work, and the number of times any of that previous work has been cited elsewhere (a measure of its influence), which you can determine by accessing a search engine like Google Scholar.
2. Where the source was originally published, e.g., in a scholarly journal or trade magazine, and whether that publication is peer-reviewed -- meaning that the articles selected for inclusion have been independently evaluated by experts in the field. Many scholarly journals are published by university presses, e.g., Harvard University Press; professional societies, e.g., the American Psychological Association; or publishing companies that specialize in certain subject matter, e.g., Elsevier, which is dedicated to science and technology, and that produce or distribute scholarly works (“Sources and Citations,” 2008).
3. The intended audience. Was the source written for the author’s colleagues or scholars in the field? Note whether they utilize professional jargon or specialized terminology at any point. Consider whether the author assumed that, to appreciate their work, their readers would have at least some knowledge of (or background in) the field in which they are writing (“Sources and Citations,” 2008).
4. The timeliness of the source. Within the sciences, for example, an article that was written one or two years ago may already be outdated.
5. The quality of the source’s own references. Does the author draw upon a particular body of research? If included, skim the literature review or any summary of the research provided. Determine what types of sources, e.g., articles, books, reports, etc., were most frequently cited.

Online-Only Sources –

1. Has a source you are considering been published on a site ending in .org (a nonprofit organization)? Or .edu (an academic institution)? While academic sites are generally credible, use caution: They may contain postings by students or others who have no particular authority on your topic.
2. Consider the purpose of the site itself. Locate the “About” or “FAQ” page, if provided, to learn more about the validity and integrity of the site.
3. Is the site regularly maintained and/or updated? Unlike print texts, the online medium affords users – and organizations, institutions, and corporations – the opportunity to update their content at (almost) any time.
4. Check the site against several additional, reputable sources to confirm that the author of the content you are considering has used their own sources responsibly. Keep in mind that the content featured on numerous websites has often been “borrowed” from other sources – if not plagiarized outright (“Sources and Citations,” 2008).
5. Finally, ask yourself whether online sources are appropriate for your course, topic, and/or the level of research expected of you (“Sources and Citations,” 2008).

Reference

Dartmouth College Committee on Sources. (2008, May). Sources and citations at Dartmouth. https://writing-

speech.dartmouth.edu/learning/materials/sources-and-citations-dartmouth#3A