Scholarly Sources and Evidence: Quick Reference

Scholarly sources are written for researchers; high level, technical jargon, specific experiments; published in scholarly/scientific journals; audience is other researchers.
Popular sources are for a general audience; more accessible, broad topics; used for general information.
Both provide evidence, but they differ in purpose, depth, and audience.

Textbook evidence: written by an expert in the field.
Primary evidence: photos/videos, interviews, original documents, artifacts, data from experiments.
Lab results: procedures and outcomes as evidence of what happened.
Opinions/ideas: perspectives used in persuasive writing.
Experience-based evidence: personal or lived experience.
Data and statistics: numerical evidence, represented in various forms.
Other written sources: citations, links, or references used to support claims.

Primary sources include original data, experiments, interviews, original documents, or firsthand observations.
In science, primary sources are the actual data and methods from the study.

When writing for a general audience, combine scientific evidence with other types (e.g., community experiences, interviews) to show broader impact.
Public-facing work should still rely on solid scientific data for core claims.

Science relies on processes: experimentation, hypothesis testing, replication, and building a cumulative body of knowledge.
A single study does not overturn the whole field; conclusions depend on the weight of the evidence and replication.
Some data may not be enough to draw a conclusion; scientists state when evidence is insufficient.
Scientific writing explains how data were collected and how conclusions follow from the data.

Check sources of data/stats: are they from scientific sources?
Are the data represented accurately and appropriately?
Are the science-related claims reasonable and evidence-based (not just opinions)?
Consider the source’s purpose and potential biases.

Red flags: unclear data sources, missing data provenance, bias or one-sided argument, sensationalism.
Source quality matters: reputable outlets (e.g., established journals, recognized institutions) vs. unknown/biased pages.
Look for motivation: commercial, political, or advocacy goals that may color evidence.
Government or organizational sites aren’t automatically trustworthy; verify data and methods.

Correlation does not imply causation; two things can move together without one causing the other.
Be wary of spurious correlations in charts or infographics.
Look for evidence of mechanisms, experiments, or additional data that support a causal claim.

AI as a language model, not a search engine; it generates text based on patterns in data.
AI can help with brainstorming, outlining, and identifying topics; may produce inaccuracies or hallucinated citations.
AI has uneven access to freely available scholarly content and can reflect biases in training data.

Acknowledge use of AI for editing, brainstorming, or language changes.
Citing AI when it directly provides information or text; follow assignment or publisher guidelines.
Do not rely on AI to generate or verify citations; verify sources independently.

Scholarly work is often technical; use it to inform public-facing writing with accuracy.
Combine scholarly data with community perspectives (interviews, lived experiences) to show real-world impact.
Use multiple types of sources to present a balanced view.

Access materials via class site or QR code; use the home page tabs for different information types (data sources, social attitudes, statistics, government reports).
Use the class worksheet for group discussion on chosen sources; discuss: type, purpose, audience, evidence used, and relevance to COVID context.
Save and submit the worksheet as directed (e.g., on the course LMS).

Start with a credible source to identify the core claims and evidence.
Cross-check data sources and methods before drawing conclusions.
When communicating to the public, blend scientific evidence with contextual/community factors.
If using AI tools, clearly document how they aided the work and cite appropriately where required.