Gathering information for an academic research paper requires the author to search databases or academic libraries. Popular article databases include Ebsco, ProQuest, JSTOR and Google Scholar. Before reviewing the physical article, the author can verify whether the text will be pertinent to the research paper by appraising the source to determine the author’s credentials. Some questions to ask include: Is the author writing on his or her area of expertise? Has the author been cited by other sources in the field? What organizations or institutions is the author affiliated with?
Look at the date of publication to find out if the information is still relevant. For example, scientific research is constantly evolving, and more current information may be available if the article was written a number of years ago.
Review the title of the journal to determine if it is a popular or scholarly journal. Ideas in scholarly journals are often more complex and in-depth, which can help provide deeper information for the research paper.
Once the article has been deemed appropriate for the research paper, analyzing the content is the next step. Read the preface and scan the table of contents and index of the journal to review the main points of the material covered.
Find out if the information in the article is fact, opinion or propaganda. This can be determined by attempting to verify whether the information is supported by evidence and well-researched. Regard any assumptions as opinion.
Note if the information follows the same line of reasoning as other works written on the same subject. Try to review as many sources as possible to obtain a variety of viewpoints on the topic.
Find out if the scholarly article is reviewed positively in the academic community. Critical reviews of books in the Book Review Index or Book Review Digest may provide more information on the source to determine whether the information is valid research.