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ENG 151 - SIFT Method for Evaluating Sources (Dual Credit)

This guide explains how to use the SIFT Method for evaluating sources. SIFT stands for Stop, Investigate the claim, Find better coverage, and Trace back to the original source.

Scholarly Sources

Scholarly Sources

Scholarly sources can be found in library databases and sometimes on the open internet. Many scholarly sources on the open internet are behind a paywall, which restricts access to the content unless you have a subscription or want to pay a fee for individual content. 

The purpose of scholarly articles is to share research findings with other researchers and discuss issues and practices in the field. The authors are experts in their field who use terminology specific to the discipline. Scholarly articles can be quite long and include multiple authors and will include a list of references at the end.

It's important to note that not every article that appears in a scholarly journal is original research that was peer reviewed. Scientists may write commentaries, letters to the editor, and even blog posts.

 

Example of Peer-Reviewed Article (original research)

This first example is of a peer-reviewed article that contains original research and was published in a scholarly journal. Note at the top left where it states "Original Paper."

Citation: Robinson, Patrick, et al. “Measuring Attitudes towards Mental Health Using Social Media: Investigating Stigma and Trivialisation.” Social Psychiatry & Psychiatric Epidemiology, vol. 54, no. 1, Jan. 2019, pp. 51–58. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00127-018-1571-5.

 

Example of Letter to the Editor Published in a Scholarly Journal

This second example is a letter to the editor that was published in a scholarly journal, which is stated at the top-right of the article. 

Citation: K. K., Mueen Ahmed. “The Role of Social Media Platforms in Addressing Mental Health Stigma.” International Journal of Medicine & Public Health, vol. 13, no. 2, Apr. 2023, pp. 84–85. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.5530/ijmedph.2023.2.14.