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There are some non-peer reviewed sources that are still high quality and credible. These can be very useful when looking for information about your mathematician (like biographical details and overviews of their work and impact).
When someone talks about a peer reviewed article, they usually mean a research article published in an academic journal that conducts peer review. These journals will publish other, non-research materials that do not go through the same rigorous peer review process because these materials do not contain new scientific work that needs to be evaluated. These are things like: letters to the editor, book reviews, and trends and highlights relating to the journal's subject area. These materials are still written by experts in the field for other experts and the journal's editors must review for accuracy and relevance.
When doing research, regardless of where you search and what you are looking for, you are going to have to decide if the information you find is credible. Critically evaluating the sources you find is an important step in the research process.
It can be helpful to think about this as building an argument. If you cite a source in your paper and someone reads it and questions you, would you be able to defend your decision? To explain why you thought it was a good source? RADAR is one framework that can help you with this process.
Being critical of the information you are finding and using does not mean you are being negative towards it. It means you are taking the time to ask important questions about the source.
Critical evaluation also requires you to look 'outside' of your article. This is called lateral reading, where you look up information about your article.
Books that are written by experts in a field and edited by other experts can be excellent sources of quality academic information. These can be found in the Library's catalogue and ebook collections.
Reason is important because books, articles, web pages, and other information sources are made to serve a purpose. They can educate, entertain, or sell a product or point of view. Some sources may be frivolous or commercial in nature, providing inaccurate, false, or biased information. Other sources are more ambiguous about any potential partiality. Varied points of view can be valid if they are based on good reasoning and careful use of evidence.
Lateral Reading tip: Google the publisher or organization that produced this information.
Consider an author’s expertise when evaluating their work. If a person has not spent time with a subject, studying it, learning about it, exploring the theories or principles underlying it, they are unlikely to be able to explain it accurately, apply it correctly, or provide meaningful analysis. An author’s educational and professional background is often a good indication of their expertise, and how that person is viewed by their peers – other researchers in their area – is often a good indication of their authority. The more complex a subject, the more specific you should be about someone’s expertise.
Lateral Reading tip: Google the author.
When was the information published? Just because something is older doesn’t mean that it is outdated, but it is important to consider if new research exists that contradicts what was previously thought to be true.
Lateral Reading tip: Compare to other articles on the topic.
Appearance is important as different types of sources are identifiable through their appearance and context clues.
Accuracy is important because errors and untruths distort a line of reasoning. When you use inaccurate information in your own work, you undermine your own credibility.
Lateral Reading tip: Follow the citations.
It is not enough that a source is broadly on your topic. You should focus on what answers your questions and/or builds your argument. Consider if it has enough detail to be useful when doing university level research.