Are Blogs Scholarly Sources & How to Identify One

Declan Gessel

Jun 9, 2024

Person Pointing on Laptop - Are Blogs Scholarly Sources

Blogs have become a popular source of information for many individuals, but are they reliable sources for academic purposes? It can be challenging to determine the credibility of blogs when conducting research.

Using the CRAAP Test, you can quickly evaluate a blog to determine if it is a scholarly source. This guide will discuss the criteria you can use to make the right decision and ensure that your research is based on credible sources.

Jotbot's solution, write smarter, not harder, is an enhanced tool to aid readers in achieving their goals of recognizing the right scholarly source. By identifying the criteria to assess a blog's credibility and academic value, you can confidently select the most reliable sources for your research.

What are Scholarly Sources?

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Scholarly sources are foundational for credible research. They offer thorough analysis, reliable information, and established methodologies essential for academic knowledge. These sources are primarily categorized as peer-reviewed articles published in academic journals and books released by reputable academic presses.

Peer-reviewed articles undergo a rigorous evaluation process by experts in the field before publication, ensuring quality, accuracy, and originality. Books from reputable academic presses are also subject to rigorous editorial evaluations, authored by established academics with expertise in the subject area.

Key Characteristics of Scholarly Sources

Peer Review

The peer review process of scholarly sources ensures the research presented is methodologically sound, evidence-backed, and contributes meaningfully to existing knowledge. It is a cornerstone of the credibility and reliability of scholarly information.

Author Expertise

Scholarly sources are written by individuals with recognized expertise in the field. This expertise is demonstrated through academic credentials, publications in reputable journals, and professional experience, ensuring the credibility and reliability of the research presented.

Established Publication Channels

Scholarly sources are disseminated through established channels like academic journals and reputable academic presses. These channels have editorial boards and quality control measures that maintain high standards for research and scholarship, ensuring the credibility and reliability of the information presented.

Why Aren't Most Blogs Scholarly Sources?

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Lack of Peer Review

Peer review is a crucial process in academia that ensures research is rigorously evaluated before publication. Blogs, on the other hand, lack this formal review system. Without peer review, the information presented on a blog isn't guaranteed to be accurate, methodologically sound, or free from potential biases.

This means that blog content could be based on personal opinions, misinterpretations of research, or even misinformation. In contrast, scholarly sources undergo a rigorous peer-review process to ensure the accuracy and quality of the information they contain.

Author Expertise

When it comes to scholarly sources, the credibility of the information is often tied to the expertise of the authors. Academic journals typically only publish work from experts in the field.

However, anyone can create a blog and publish content, regardless of their expertise or qualifications. While some blogs are indeed written by experts, determining the author's credentials or background can be challenging without conducting additional research. This lack of guaranteed expertise makes it difficult to assess the reliability of the information presented on a blog.

Content Permanence

One of the key advantages of scholarly articles is their permanence. Scholarly articles are archived and readily accessible through libraries and academic databases, ensuring that the information contained within them remains accessible over the long term.

Blogs, on the other hand, lack this level of permanence. Blog content can be edited or deleted at any time, making it difficult to verify the information later on. This impermanence raises questions about the long-term accessibility and reliability of the content presented on blogs.

When Can Blogs Be Valuable Research Tools?

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Highlight instances where blogs can be valuable as a tool for research:

Current Information

In fields where knowledge is constantly evolving, blogs can offer the latest updates, insights, and discussions on recent developments. Scholarly articles often go through a lengthy review and publication process.

which can lead to a time lag between the research and its dissemination. Blogs, on the other hand, can provide more immediate commentary and analysis on emerging trends.

First-Hand Accounts

Blogs can offer unique perspectives and personal experiences that might not be available in traditional scholarly sources.

For instance, a blog written by a medical professional could provide firsthand accounts of patient experiences or insights into the practical application of medical research. Similarly, a blog by a policy analyst could offer a unique perspective on current events.

Starting Point for Research

Blogs can spark new research ideas and guide researchers towards more in-depth scholarly sources. By exploring various blogs on a topic, researchers can gain a broader understanding of the current conversation and identify potential areas for further investigation.

Blog posts may also reference relevant scholarly articles, leading researchers to more credible and in-depth sources.

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Identifying Credible Blogs for Research

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Author Credentials

It's crucial to assess the author's credentials when using blogs for research. By looking at their background and qualifications, you can determine if they have the necessary expertise.

Checking for academic qualifications, professional experience, and previous publications in reputable journals is a good start. If the blog includes a bio, this information will often be there. If not, a quick web search can provide insights into the author's expertise.

Content Quality

The quality of the content on a blog is another critical factor to consider. High-quality content is often well-written, thoroughly researched, and supported by credible sources. Look out for clear arguments, minimal typos, and grammatical errors as these can indicate the level of quality of the blog's content.

Presence of Citations

A reliable blog will cite credible sources to back up its claims. These citations could be from respected journals, reputable news outlets, or other established sources. If the author provides concrete evidence for their statements, it shows that they have done their homework and are presenting information based on solid facts.

Website Reputation

The reputation of the website hosting the blog can also be an indicator of its credibility. Blogs hosted on respected platforms or affiliated with well-known academic institutions or professional organizations may adhere to higher standards of quality and accuracy. The reputation of the blog's platform can also serve as a marker of whether the content can be trusted for research purposes.

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Incorporating Academic Blogs and Scholarly Sources

When you're writing an academic essay or paper, you need to ensure that you're using high-quality sources to support your argument.

Scholarly sources are usually the most reliable sources to use because they are written by experts in the field and have been rigorously reviewed by other experts before publication. But can you use blogs as sources in your academic writing? It's a question I get asked a lot.

Blogs can be a useful starting point for your research, especially if you're looking for current information or personal opinions on a topic. However, they are not considered scholarly sources in most cases because they are not peer-reviewed or written by experts in the field.

That said, some blogs are written by professionals in the field, and they can be useful sources of information when cited correctly. Make sure you check with your instructor to see if blogs are an acceptable source in your assignment.

Analyzing the Credibility of a Source

When you're conducting research for your paper, you need to be sure that the sources you're using are credible. Credibility is essential because it helps you build trust with your readers and show them that you've done your homework.

There are a few ways to determine if a source is credible. First, consider the author's credentials.

Are they an expert in the field? Do they have a reputation for writing accurate information? Second, look at the publication where the source appears. Is it a reputable journal or website? Finally, consider the date of publication.

Is the information still relevant and up-to-date? If you answer these questions and feel confident in the source, you can trust that it is credible.

Understanding Citations

Citations are an important part of academic writing because they give credit to the authors whose work you're using to support your argument. They also help your readers find the sources you've used in your paper.

When you're citing a source, you need to include the author's name, the publication date, the title of the work, and the publication information. There are many different citation styles you can use, but the most common are APA, MLA, and Chicago.

Make sure you know which style your instructor prefers before you start writing to avoid any confusion later on.

Utilizing In-Text Citations

In-text citations are a way to let your readers know where you found the information you're sharing with them. They usually include the author's name and the publication date, but some citation styles might require additional information.

In-text citations can be used in a few different ways. You can use them in parentheses at the end of a sentence or within the sentence itself. You can also use them to refer to specific parts of a source, like a direct quote or a paraphrase. However you use them, make sure you're consistent and follow the rules of your chosen citation style.

Keeping Track of Sources

When you're conducting research for your paper, it can be easy to lose track of the sources you've found along the way. That's why keeping a list of your sources and taking notes on them is so important.

Not only does it help you stay organized, but it also makes it easier to create your bibliography at the end of your paper. You can use a tool like Jotbot to help you keep track of your sources and take notes on them as you find them. That way, when it comes time to write your paper, you'll have all the information you need at your fingertips.

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