An internet search produces all kinds of results. Many of them are not scientifically reliable, even if they might look like it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When evaluating the reliability of web-based sources, it is important to consider the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Reliable internet sources include well-known expert organisations, reputable research institutions, and peer-reviewed publications, such as scientific online journals and their articles. Assessing the credibility of sources found through search engines can be challenging; therefore, the easiest way to find scientific information is often to use scientific databases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Theses, such as Master\u2019s theses and theses completed at universities of applied sciences, are generally not considered citable sources in scholarly publications, with the exception of doctoral dissertations. However, practices vary among disciplines. It is therefore advisable to verify the conventions of your own field with your thesis supervisor, in research seminars, or through specific guidelines if such guidance is available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The scientific quality and reliability of an article that appears scholarly can be assessed by finding out, for example:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Scientific articles are generally peer reviewed. Information about a journal\u2019s and an article\u2019s peer-review status can often be found on the journal\u2019s website. In databases, searches can often be limited to scholarly publications (e.g., article, review, randomized controlled trial). Some databases explicitly indicate whether a journal is ’peer reviewed’ or ’refereed’. Notes appearing in articles (such as ’revised’) may also suggest that the article has undergone a peer-review process. For example, in UEF Primo, search results can be filtered to include only peer-reviewed materials.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is worth remembering that scientific journals also publish content that has not been peer reviewed. Examples include editorials, news items, book reviews, and commentaries on published articles. In many databases, these publication types can be excluded from search results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Publication Forum (JUFO) is a Finnish classification system covering all academic disciplines and evaluating different types of scholarly publication channels, including journals, conferences, and book publishers. A publication channel classified at level 1 meets the basic criteria of scholarly publishing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
JUFO Portal (Publication Forum)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Articles and journals are also evaluated based on citation counts. In general, the more frequently an article is cited in other research publications, the more influential and significant it is considered within the scholarly community. Naturally, newer articles have had less time to accumulate citations, and some articles may never be cited. <\/p>\n\n\n\n A journal\u2019s Impact Factor (IF) indicates the average number of citations received by articles published in that journal. A high Impact Factor generally suggests that the journal – and often the articles it publishes – is widely read and influential. However, citation-based metrics should always be interpreted critically.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Impact Factor (Information Seeker\u2019s Guide > Library Glossary)<\/a> Publishers, editors, as well as the experts utilised by them are responsible for a book\u2019s quality control. You may also search the Publication Forum for information about whether a publisher is considered scientific. Scientific publishers include some commercial publishers, universities, domestic and foreign scientific communities, as well as certain research institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are also publications for professionals, companies and authorities in many fields. Publications do not often qualify as scientific. Ministries, municipalities, as well as different organisations, associations and unions publish account and report types of literature, and articles are also published in professional journals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is often recommended to stay critical in regard to professional journals and organisational publications, administrative accounts, master\u2019s theses and those of universities of applied sciences, as well as literature that doesn\u2019t feature a high-quality table of contents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Research Assessment (UEF Library)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nThe evaluation of books is based on multiple factors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n