Know your reading material

WHEN you are studying, approaching different types of information in specific ways will help you make the most of your work.

Journals

Academic journals used to be the best source of quality information because every article was read, critiqued and edited until it was perfect. These days, there are lots of journals that will print anything as long as the author pays. Also, conferences print “journals”.

So, when you are reading, you have to check how the source deals with its contributors. The gold standard is a peer-reviewed journal; check to see who is on the board of reviewers. If they are all working together, it may indicate a support group rather than an impartial judgment.

Media

Newspapers and magazines are excellent because they focus on what is new and exciting. They also make complicated things simpler.

While you can trust some established national newspapers implicitly, some magazines tend to go for shock value or glamour because that is what sells best.

This means that they not cover the whole subject and may leave out facts that detract from their headline. When experts and studies are mentioned, always check the source.

Focus or variety?

When you are writing a literature review, you will want to focus mostly on peerreviewed journals as these are considered gold standard material.

However, it doesn’t hurt to take a look at conference papers to see what the hot topics are, and at newspapers and magazines to see what sort of information (and misinformation) is out there.

By referring to all these, you can show your reader that you’re well versed in your field – and that should get you an A.