Definition

In general, "alert services" refer to features included with scholarly databases or made available
by journal publishers that allow you to be notified by email or text message when something of
interest to you has been added to a database or published in a journal. Alert services can be set up
to notify you about newly published resources on a specific topic or when new articles are
published in a journal.

USC Libraries subscribe to a number of databases that make electronic alert services available to
users. Three different types of alert services are:

Table of contents alerts -- updates of the table of contents of the most current issues of the
journals you specify when signing up.

Daily/weekly email alerts -- alerts that notify subscribers of articles matching submitted topics.
Alert frequencies vary depending on the publisher's database updates.

Saved search alerts -- emailed notifications of recent articles matching previously submitted
searches.

Importance of...

While conducting a literature review, content alert services can be especially useful because:

They can alert you to new articles in journals of particular interest or that you know are most
likely to publish research on the topic you are investigating.

Databases that index journals from a variety of different fields of study offer you
multidisciplinary coverage of articles related to your topic of interest.

They can alert you to new "pre-published" research [essentially final drafts of articles] before
they are distributed to libraries and subscribers.

Importance of Evaluating Sources

Evaluating the authority, usefulness, and reliability of resources is a crucial step in developing a
literature review that effectively covers pertinent research as well as demonstrates to the reader
that you know what you're talking about. The process of evaluating scholarly materials also
enhances your general skills and ability to:

Seek out alternative points of view and differing perspectives,

Identify possible bias in the work of others,

Distinguish between fact, fiction, and opinion,

Develop and strengthen your ability to distinguish between relevant and irrelevant content,

Draw cogent, well thought out conclusions, and

Synthesize information, extracting meaning through a deliberate process of interpretation and

analysis.

Black, Thomas R. Evaluating Social Science Research: An Introduction. London: Sage, 1993.

Strategies for Critically Evaluating Sources

The act of thinking critically about the validity and reliability of a research resource generally
involves asking yourself a series of questions about the quality of both the item and the content
of that item.

Evaluating the Source

Inquiring about the Author

What are the author's credentials, such as, institutional affiliation [where he or she works],
educational background, past writings, or experience? Is the book or article written on a topic in
the author's area of expertise? Has your instructor mentioned this author? Have you seen the
author's name cited in other sources or bibliographies? Is the author associated with a reputable
institution or organization? What are the basic values or goals of that organization or institution?

Inquiring about the Date of Publication

When was the source published? Is the source current or out-of-date for your topic?

Inquiring about the Edition or Revision

Is this a first edition of this publication or not? Further editions usually indicate a source has
been revised and updated to reflect changes in knowledge, to include prior omissions, and to
better harmonize the contents with the intended needs of its readers. If you are using a web
source, do the pages indicate last revision dates?

Inquiring about the Publisher

Note the publisher. If the source is published by a university press, it is likely to be scholarly.
Although the fact that a publisher is reputable does not necessarily guarantee quality, it does
show that the publisher has a high regard for the source being published [their reputation as an
academic publisher relies on it].

Inquiring about the Title of Journal

Is this a scholarly or a popular journal? This distinction is important because it indicates different
levels of complexity in conveying ideas and the intended readership.

Evaluating the Content

Intended Audience
What type of audience is the author addressing? Is the publication aimed at a specialized or a
general audience? Is this source too elementary, too technical, too advanced, or just right for
your needs?

Objectivity

Is the information covered considered to be fact, opinion, or propaganda? It is not always easy to
separate fact from opinion. Facts can usually be verified; opinions, though they may be based on
factual information, evolve from the interpretation of facts. Does the information appear to be
valid and well-researched, or is it questionable and unsupported by evidence? Note errors or
omissions. Are the ideas and arguments advanced more or less in line with other works you have
read on the same topic?

Coverage

Does the work update or clarify prior knowledge, substantiate other materials you have read, or
add new information? Does it extensively or only marginally cover your topic? Does it provide a
balanced perspective? If the item in question does not meet this criteria, you should review
enough sources to obtain a variety of viewpoints.

Writing Style

Is the publication organized logically? Are the main points clearly presented? Do you find the
text easy to read, or is it stilted or choppy? Is the author's argument repetitive?

Evaluative Reviews

In the case of books, locate critical reviews of the work in a database such as Book Review
Digest. Is the review positive? Is the book under review considered a valuable contribution to the
field? Do reviewers agree on the value or attributes of the book or are there strong differences of
opinion? Does the reviewer mention other books that might be better? If so, locate these sources
for more information on your topic.