Examine the article and the journal it is published in and be sure that it meets the following criteria:
- Where did you find it?
- Did you find a citation for it in a subject-oriented index? (e.g. PsycLit, ERIC, Physical Education Index)
- How are articles chosen for the publication?
- Is the journal published or sponsored by a professional scholarly society or association?
- Is there a list of reviewers (editorial board) inside the front cover of the journal on the first few pages? (This type of journal is known as a "juried" or "refereed" journal.")
- What are the general characteristics of a scholarly journal article?
- Is the article organized into at least two of the following sections:
- Introduction or Literature Review
- Theory or Background
- Subjects
- Methods
- Results
- Discussion
- Does the article have a bibliography or list of references?
- Does the title of the article reflect its content?
- Is there an abstract at the beginning of the article?
- Are the author's credentials listed?
- Is the article based on either original research or authorities in the field (as opposed to personal opinion)?
- Are there supporting diagrams or illustrations with the article?
(Information obtained from http://www.jsu.edu/library/information/scholarly.html)
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