understanding peer reviewed, scientific literature
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Understanding Peer Reviewed, Scientific Literature
BIO 105Spring 2013
RESEARCH ARTICLES• Report the results of a single study or experiment
• The author(s) is/are the person(s) who conducted the study or experiment; i.e. it is firsthand information
• Answers: Why, how, what was found, what does it mean
Example: Habitat Selection, Home Range, and Activity of the White-Nosed Coati (Nasua narica) in a Mexican Tropical Dry Forest
RESEARCH ARTICLES HAVE A TYPICAL FORMAT
• Detailed title• Authors with their credentials and/or
affiliations given• Summary/abstract• Purpose of study & literature review • How the study was conducted• What was found and what it means• Reference list
“CLASSICAL” FORMAT OF A PRIMARY RESEARCH ARTICLE
• Abstract • Introduction-purpose, lit review• Methods-how study conducted• Results-what found• Discussion-what it means• Works citedNot all research articles will follow this format.
Some brief reports, etc do not.
PEER REVIEW
• Research articles undergo peer review:– Experts in the field of study (peers) evaluate an article’s
methodology, merit, and overall unique contribution to knowledge PRIOR to publication
• In the sciences and medicine, research is almost universally peer reviewed
• A journal is considered peer reviewed if it uses this process for any of it’s material (typically the research articles)
• An article is considered peer reviewed if it undergoes this process
What is contained in a peer reviewed scientific journal?
• Research articles
• News
• Letters to the editor
• Job announcements
• Obituaries
• Book reviews
• Advertisements
**But only the research is actually peer reviewed
Your assignment
• To use at least 2 scientific, peer reviewed articles (and other sources) to understand the details of the biology of your species and use actual research that has been done on their population trends and factors that affect their biology and survival
Finding Peer Reviewed Literature• Use the “search all” box on the library’s home
page• Type in the name of your species. Hint: Use
both the scientific & common name. Ex: Mexican Spotted Owl or Strix occidentalis
• After the search is run, use the following limits on the left hand side:– FULL TEXT– SCHOLARLY (PEER REVIEWED JOURNALS)
ADDITIONAL HINTS
• To make your search even more specific you might want to include additional keywords beyond the name of the species:
Example:(Mexican spotted owl OR Strix occidentalis) AND“population trends”
Example: (Mexican spotted owl or Strix occidentalis) AND ecology
For more help
• Call or come to the library whenever we are open
• Use our 24/7 chat assistance• Contact Danielle Carlock at 480 425 6765 or