Evaluating Periodicals
When evaluating a periodical publication, check these basic points:
- Author or contact person – usually located on first page of article; position and/or institutional affiliation may be included as footnote on first page or at end of article
- Publisher – usually located on contents page of issue
- Date of publication – usually located on cover and/or contents page
- Intended audience – determined by examining the content; publication may state intended audience in note on contents page
- Purpose of the information – determined by examining the content
Periodical information generally includes similar review processes to that of books, with publishers or editors checking for quality of content, writing style, and the like. However, there are many types of periodical publications , with wide variations in these practices.
Newspapers and popular or general interest magazines usually have staff writers who are responsible for writing in certain areas. While they may have been trained or educated in the subject area, they may have simply developed their knowledge base from experience.
Scholarly journals generally publish articles that have undergone a more rigorous peer review process: experts in the subject field review the article manuscript before publication to ensure reliability, authority, and general acceptance within the field of study.
As in book publishing, the reputation of the periodical's publisher may also help to determine a source's reliability or authority. Some periodicals may focus on a particular subject area, gaining authority from years of practice. Some may be published by professional associations or societies. Still others may concentrate on issues of concern to a particular group of people.
Additional review may be necessary to determine quality and reliability. Consider additional questions and outside resources to fully evaluate an item.
