"RADCAB" Tool
"RADCAB" is a fun tool by Library Media Specialist Karen Christensson designed to help you decide whether or not a Web source (or any source) is a valid, useful research resource. The acronmyn stands for different steps in evaluating a resource:
R is for Relevancy
A is for Appropriateness
D is for Detail
C is for Currency
A is for Authority
B is for Bias.
Click on the link above for more info and to download the RADCAB tipsheet!
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Overview
Answers to frequently asked questions can be found here: FAQ page.
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Scholarly Journals vs. Popular Periodicals
| SCHOLARLY JOURNAL Article | POPULAR MAGAZINE Article |
|---|---|
| Published in an academic journal, described also as refereed or peer-reviewed | Published in a popular, general interest, or news magazine |
| Author is expert on topic or scholar | Author may be lay reporter |
| Specialized audience of peers or students | Audience includes general public |
| Goal is to inform or present research | Goal is often to entertain or persuade |
| Research-based | Report events or findings of others |
| Includes sources: footnotes and bibliography | Sources may not be cited formally |
| Vocabulary is complex and technical | Vocabulary is familiar, non-technical |
| Graphics used to illustrate a point | Graphics used for visual impact |
| Titles may include the words Journal, Review, or Annals; and/or refer to a field of study. Examples: Anthropology & Education Quarterly, Journal of Higher Education | Titles often general, usually catchier. Examples: People Weekly, Newsweek |
| Published monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually | Published weekly or monthly |
Often your professor will tell you to choose only "scholarly", "refereed", or "peer-reviewed" article resources when you do research for a paper. This table shows some key contrasts between scholarly and popular resources. Many of the Libraries' article citation databases include an option to search only scholarly, but not all do, so this table should come in handy.
A Fun Video on Scholarly vs. Popular Periodicals
(from the Peabody Library at Vanderbilt University; on YouTube)
