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CHM 151/152: Chemical Principles

Guide to useful resources for CHM 151 and CHM 152

Best Bets for Chemistry Research

Scholarly vs. Popular Articles

Scholarly Articles

Popular Articles

·         Author is expert in the field-author’s credentials in the field are established, and they likely hold an appropriate degree in their field

·         Lengthy bibliography at end of article

·         Based on original research, or new applications of others’ research

·         Written for a scholarly audience in that field of study (difficult for other s to read)

·         Example: "Factors explaining alien plant invasion success in a tropical ecosystem"

·         Usually appear in magazines, newspapers or non-scholarly journals (lots of glossy, shiny pictures and advertisements)

·         Typically written by journalists (not experts in the field)

·         Written for a popular audience, easy to read and understand

·         Typically doesn’t include a bibliography

·         Summarize or present research findings for public

·         Example: "Gecko Tail Has a Mind of Its Own"

  

 

What does Peer-Reviewed Mean?

What is the Peer Review Process?

Peer reviewed articles are the appropriate type of resource to use for your assignments. Peer reviewed articles primarily appear in academic, scientific, or other scholarly publications. When an article is considered "peer reviewed," that means that it has undergone the peer review process.

Peer review is a process in which an article is judged by an impartial panel of two or more experts in the field; these experts are called "peer reviewers." Peer reviewers primarily focus on ensuring that an article does not have any errors or biases in terms of its experimental procedures and analyses, that the article's findings make a substantial contribution to its field, and that the article provides new information within its specified field.

In order to find scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles, it is most efficient to use the library's databases (see Finding Articles on left).

 

Example of Peer-Reviewed Article

"Approaches in the risk assessment of genetically modified foods by the Hellenic Food Safety Authority"

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