FAQs
Review past issues: does the content look topical and credible? Are the authors known to you? If open access, is it registered in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) The DOAJ vets journals before listing them. Does the website provide complete contact information: email, street address, working phone number?
How to tell if a journal article is good? ›
However, there are some basic criteria that you can use to determine whether a published article is of good quality:
- Where is it published? ...
- Who is the author? ...
- Is the article widely recommended? ...
- Does it have a clear research question? ...
- Have the study limitations been mentioned?
The questions are:
- Who is the author? (Authority)
- What is the purpose of the content? (Accuracy)
- Where is the content from? (Publisher)
- Why does the source exist? (Purpose and Objectivity)
- How does this source compare to others? (Determining What's What)
To view the ranking of a specific journal:
- Go to Scopus Sources.
- Select Title from the menu at the top left (below the Sources heading).
- Enter the journal title.
- In the results list, click on the journal title's link – this will lead to a wide range of data about that journal.
Answered By: Priscilla Coulter Jan 16, 2023 14401
- authority (is the author an expert?)
- accuracy (is the information correct?)
- objectivity (is the information unbiased?)
- currency (is the information up to date?)
The credibility of a journal may be assessed by examining several key factors:
- Where is it indexed? Is the journal included or indexed in the major bibliographic databases for the field? ...
- What is its publishing history? How long has the journal been available? ...
- Is it peer-reviewed? ...
- What is its impact factor?
That criteria are as follows:
- Authority: Who is the author? What are their credentials? ...
- Accuracy: Compare the author's information to that which you already know is reliable. ...
- Coverage: Is the information relevant to your topic and does it meet your needs? ...
- Currency: Is your topic constantly evolving?
Review past issues: does the content look topical and credible? Are the authors known to you? If open access, is it registered in the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) The DOAJ vets journals before listing them. Does the website provide complete contact information: email, street address, working phone number?
How to assess journal quality? ›
Does the journal have a transparent publication process?
- Clearly described peer-review & editorial review processes.
- Reasonable acceptance rate.
- Editorial board of respected scholars in the discipline who also claim board membership.
- Clear explanation of fees & associated publication costs.
Hirsch2 was of the opinion that 20 h-index is Good,40 is Outstanding and 60 is Exceptional but after 20 years of research life.
Common evaluation criteria include: purpose and intended audience, authority and credibility, accuracy and reliability, currency and timeliness, and objectivity or bias.
What are the five criteria of credibility? ›
We use the mnemonic RAVEN to remember the five criteria of credibility:
- R = Reputation.
- A = Ability to See.
- V = Vested Interest.
- E = Expertise.
- N = Neutrality.
It is important to be able to identify which sources are credible. This ability requires an understanding of depth, objectivity, currency, authority, and purpose. Whether or not your source is peer-reviewed, it is still a good idea to evaluate it based on these five factors.
What does a good journal article look like? ›
Most journal-style scientific papers are subdivided into the following sections: Title, Authors and Affiliation, Abstract, Introduction, Methods, Results, Discussion, Acknowledgments, and Literature Cited, which parallel the experimental process.
How to assess the quality of a journal article? ›
Evaluating journal articles
- Read the article abstract: this summarises the author's key findings and methodology. ...
- Note the year of publication: you might need the very latest research. ...
- Consider objectivity and consistency: ask yourself whether the author's argument develops with consistent rationality?
Transparency from the journal as to its aim and scope, the editorial board, indexing status, the peer review process, reputation, and policies for authors are among the key indicators of quality journals.
What should I look for when reviewing a journal article? ›
As you read, be sure to note important items like the thesis, purpose, research questions, hypotheses, methods, evidence, key findings, major conclusions, tone, and publication information. Depending on your writing context, some of these items may not be applicable.
