Using this checklist, students can ensure that their resource is a “peer-reviewed empirical research report.”
Peer-Reviewed Empirical Research Report Checklist Source: ____ Is the article from a reputable academic journal? ____ Can this journal be found in academic databases (e.g., CJ Abstracts)? Peer Review: ____ Does the journal's website or database listing mention that it uses a peer-review process? Article Type: ____ Does the article report the results of an experiment? ____ Does the article present new, original research data? Research Methodology: ____ Does the article have sections typical of empirical research, such as Introduction, Method, Results, and Discussion? ____ Are the methods used in the research clearly described? ____ Is there a description of how data was collected and analyzed? Authorship: ____ Are the authors affiliated with academic institutions or research organizations? ____ Can you find other peer-reviewed works published by these authors? Date of Publication: ____ Is the research current and relevant to your topic? (Consider the importance of recency in your field) Citations: ____ Does the article itself cite other peer-reviewed research articles? ____ Is the bibliography comprehensive and relevant? Abstract: ____ Does the article include an abstract that summarizes the research purpose, methods, results, and conclusions? Exclusions: ____ Confirm the source is not a government report. ____ Confirm the source is not a magazine or newspaper article. ____ Confirm the source is not an opinion piece or editorial. ____ Confirm the source is not a webpage. ____ Confirm the source is not a book or book chapter (unless from a peer-reviewed academic publication). Confidence: ____ After reviewing all the above points, are you confident that this is a peer-reviewed empirical research report?
Developed by Adam J. McKee.
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