Sources Analysis

Place reference for this article below.

Format for article with doi:

Note: the doi is an identifier given to digital articles to make them easier to find. On an article, you find the doi in the header or toward the bottom.

Format for article without doi:

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages. doi: XXX.XXXXXX.XXXX

Author, A. A., Author, B. B., & Author, C. C. (Year). Title of article. Title of Periodical, volume number(issue number), pages. Retrieved from http://www.XXXXXXX.XXX

Introduction, Methods, Discussion, and Relevance

Direct quote with quotation marks and citation (author, year, page):

Example: “The sky is blue except when it is cloudy,” (Drake, 2017, p. 1).

Paraphrase with citation (author, year):

Example: Unless it is overcast, people see the sky as blue (Drake, 2017).

Introduction

What were the researchers trying to find? What was their hypothesis?

Tip: Look for words like “goal,” “predict,” “purpose,” or “aims”—this can usually be found toward the end of the introduction.

Methods

What type of design was it?

Tip: information for this may be in the last paragraph of the introduction or in the methods section.

To decode it all:

· Experimental method: look for “experiment” or “control group.”

· Naturalistic observation: look for “observation” or “description.”

· Correlational method: look for “correlation,” “relationship between,” or “difference.”

· Survey method: look for the word “survey.”

Who were the participants?

What type of measure was used?

Tip: Look for mention of tests, surveys, or questionnaires used.

Example description: The researchers used [type of study] method to investigate [hypothesis] by administering [measure] to [participants].

Discussion

What were the researchers’ findings?

Tip: Look for phrases like “our results show,” “our findings,” “our conclusion,” “support,” or “revealed.”

Relevance to Topic or Thesis

Does this article support or refute your thesis? Discuss how it relates.

Place reference for this article below.

Format for article from magazine or newspaper:

Format for other electronic articles:

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of article. Title of Online Periodical, volume number(issue number if available). Retrieved from http://www.someaddress.com/full/url

Author, A. A., & Author, B. B. (Date of publication). Title of document. Retrieved from http://Web address

Question

Yes

No

Question

Yes

No

Is the author credible? Are they an authority on the topic? Look for an author bio, link on the author, or do a Web search for the author. If no author is listed, check no.

Does the author have credentials (education related to the topic, professional position related to the topic)? Look for an author bio, link on the author, or do a Web search for the author. If no author is listed, check no.

Does the article content align with what you have read in the course texts?

Is the article written in unbiased, non-judgmental, non-opinionated, non-emotional language?

Does the article have references listed or linked?

Are all facts backed by citations or links to sources?

Is it published on a university or government website (.edu or .gov)? Is the article published in a newspaper or magazine (print or online)?

Is the information current (within the last five years)? If no date of publication or posting is mentioned, check no.

Direct quote with quotation marks and citation (author, year, page):

Paraphrase with citation (author, year):

What is the main point or purpose of the article?

Important fact 1:

Important fact 2:

Important fact 3:

Important fact 4:

Important fact 5:

Conclusion of the article’s author:

Additional Notes

Does this article support or refute your thesis? Discuss how it relates.