One of the effective ways to discern whether a
journal or book is reliable is by reviewing who
published the material. If you found an article in one of our databases,
you can easily find a link to more information on
the journal. This includes whether the journal is peer reviewed, its main subject areas, and the
contact information for the publisher. Oftentimes,
it will also include the publisher’s URL. If you can’t find the URL, you can always use
your favorite search engine to find the publisher
website, which is full of information. On the website you want to find the About Us or
Contact information, which will describe: the
scope of the magazine or publisher, the editorial staff, who owns the publisher, and what else
they have published.
Remember that, as with all other types of information, you need to critically evaluate the
information provided on publisher websites. You
may have to do an internet search for editors or to see what others say about the publisher or
journal.
This process may seem extensive, but especially with controversial topics, it’s the best
way to understand the viewpoint of the source
and whether it meets your information need.