Welcome
This guide is intended to help with advanced Fisheries, Wildlife, and Environmental Science research. It was last updated in Spring 2024. The tabs on this page provide access to information intended to help with the research paper assigned in that course.
Source Types and Source Evaluation Activity
Take a look at the sources below and see what you can find out about (1) the platform where they were published and their publishing practices, and (2) the Journal and the journal's reputation.
Tips for Evaluating Online Journals
When encountering journal articles online, investigate:
- What can you determine about the reputation of the journal or the platform where the article is published?
- Is the article peer reviewed? How long does it take on average for an article to move from submission to publication at this journal?
- Is this journal indexed by libraries or the Directory of Open Access Journals?
- Directory of Open Access JournalsEven seasoned researchers can end up publishing in a predatory journal. One way to determine the reputation of a free online journal is to see if it is indexed at the Directory of Open Access Journals or to check where else it is indexed.
- Beall's List of Potential Predatory Journals and Publishers"This is a list of questionable, scholarly open-access publishers. We recommend that scholars read the available reviews, assessments and descriptions provided here, and then decide for themselves whether they want to submit articles, serve as editors or on editorial boards."
NYS DEC. (2013). Horn Lake Strain Native Brook Trout. Flickr. https://www.flickr.com/photos/nysdec/10839686365