There's not one single fail-proof way to check to see if a source is reputable, but there are a few questions you can use to get a better sense of its reliability. Here are a few questions to ask:
(From The Craft of Research, Fourth Edition by Wayne C. Booth, Gregory G. Columb, Joseph M. Williams, Joseph Bizup, William T. Fitzgerald.)
Peer-reviewed materials have been reviewed by experts in a specific subject area to ensure that they meet standards for quality and rigor within a discipline. In some disciplines, this means the materials are accurate, the scholarship is sound, and the research adds to the body of knowledge within the field. In other disciplines, materials might be evaluated according to skillful use of theory or technique.
In academia, peer-reviewed materials are the gold standard among information sources. The review process entails time and evaluation by many informed minds, and the final material benefits from this scrutiny and reconsideration. The hope is that, though this process, error and bias will be weeded out.
Explore the links below to see some examples of peer-reviewed materials from CMU faculty in different disciplines.
A research article co-authored by CMU Biology professor Dr. Johanna Varner and CMU alumnus Brooklyn D. Waterhouse "Activity patterns and foraging behavior of American pikas (Ochotona princeps) differ between Craters of the Moon and alpine talus in Idaho," published in Western North American Naturalist
An article written by CMU History professor Dr. Adam Rosenbaum "Leisure Travel and Real Existing Socialism," published in Journal of Tourism History
An article written by CMU Forensic Anthropology professor Dr. Melissa Connor "Ethics and Best Practices of Human Decomposition Facilities in the United States," published in Forensic Science Policy & Management: An International Journal
A chapter "Revitalizing the Cherokee Syllabary" in the book The Routledge Handbook of Language Revitalization by English professor Dr. Brad Montgomery-Anderson
A Painting by CMU Art Professor Eric Elliott in a juried (peer-review by a jury of artists) art show "Painting and Seeing"
Original research published in a peer-reviewed journal will be considered peer reviewed. To see if a journal is peer reviewed:
Primary sources are first-hand, contemporary, evidence or records, such as original records, artwork, data, writing, or research. You can read more about identifying and finding primary sources in our guide Advanced Primary Source Search Strategies.
Several databases that are particularly useful for finding primary sources in the humanities are:
Subjects: Biological Sciences, Social Sciences, Health Sciences, Business,
Education, Literature Open Access Resource HathiTrust is a partnership of academic & research institutions, offering a collection of millions of titles digitized from libraries around the world. Titles out of copyright and in public domain are viewable.
Subjects: US History, Political Science
19th Century U.S. Newspapers provides access to primary source newspaper content from the 19th century, featuring full-text content and images from numerous newspapers from a range of urban and rural regions throughout the U.S. The collection encompasses the entire 19th century, with an emphasis on such topics as the American Civil War, African-American culture and history, Western migration and Antebellum-era life, among other subjects.
Subject: History Open Access Resource Historic Colorado newspaper database with full-text articles, graphics, letters to the editor, and advertising. Covers 44 newspapers from 1859-1923.
Subject: U.S. History The Slavery in America digital collection contains more than 600 significant documents of the time--personal narratives, pamphlets, addresses, monographs, sermons, and political speeches--enabling students, faculty and patrons to study the institution of slavery from the 17th century through the end of the 19th century. Sources in U.S. History Online is a series of archival digital collections intended for public library patrons as well as high school and community college students.