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
Searches on the web often pick up theses and dissertations as well. 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 practises of your own discipline 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 publication types (e.g., article, review, randomised 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It is worth remembering that scientific journals also publish content that has not been peer reviewed.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 impactful it is considered within the scientific 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 (Guide to Information Retrieval > Library Terminology)<\/a> Quality control of scholarly books is carried out by publishers, editors, and reviewers involved in the publication process. The Publication Forum (Julkaisufoorumi) can also be used to evaluate the scholarly status of publishers. Scholarly publishers include commercial academic publishers, universities, national and international academic societies, and certain research institutes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In many fields, a substantial amount of material is published for professionals, companies, and public authorities. Such publications often do not meet the criteria of scholarly publishing. Ministries, municipalities, and various organisations, associations, and professional bodies publish reports, surveys, and other forms of grey literature. Professional and trade journals also publish articles intended primarily for practitioners.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In academic writing, it is often recommended to stay critical when citing trade and professional magazines, publications issued by associations, newspapers, Master\u2019s theses, and theses produced at universities of applied sciences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Research evaluation (UEF Library)<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\nScholarly books<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Other sources<\/h2>\n\n\n\n