Evaluation of Scholarly Sources

This blog post contains an analysis of two scholarly sources based on certain questions pertaining to their purpose and credibility. Both sources relate to the fracking controversy that exists within the field of chemical engineering, my selected major.

Rodriguez, Jared "Frak / Dissolve" 9/27/2013 via Flickr. Attribution-Non Commercial License.

Source I: "Methane contamination of drinking water accompanying gas-well drilling and hydraulic fracturing"

What is its purpose?

Its purpose is to inform the reader of the contamination of methane in the drinking water of areas where hydraulic fracturing is occurring. The article provides information on the extent and composition of the drinking water's contaminants so the reader knows the impact that fracking has on local drinking water.

How and where is it published?

This article was first published on the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America's journal web page after an extensive peer review process. 

What kinds of sources does it cite?

There are 35 citations included in this source, all of which are from the same journal or other scientific institutions. These sources are cited internally and in the bibliography.

Who is the author?

There are four authors for this source: Stephen G. Osborn, Avner Vengosh, Nathaniel R. Warner, and Robert B. Jackson, all affiliated with the Center of Global Change and the Division of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the Nicholas School of the Environment. Each has their own profile on the journal's website where their doctoral credentials are listed.

Who is the intended audience?

This article is targeted for people who have some foundation of knowledge about the concept of fracking and want to know more about the specific implications of this process on the cleanliness of drinking water as a result.

How did I find it?

I found this article through a search of "fracking" on Google Scholar, an academic journal database.

Source II: "The Environmental Costs and Benefits of Fracking"

What is its purpose?

Its purpose is to sum up the body of information on the advantages and disadvantages on fracking so that readers are informed of such. The environmental and energy efficient pros to hydraulic fracturing are discussed while the danger in the contaminated water supply and the possible resulting earthquakes are mentioned as well. Both sides of the controversy are covered in a very balanced manner, indicating that the author's intention is truly to inform the  reader of the debate.

How and where is it published?

This article was first published on the Annual Review of Environmental and Resources journal webpage in August 2014 after a thorough peer review process.

What kinds of sources does it cite?

There are 166 sources cited in this article, all of which are scholarly journals or other public research articles from scientific institutions. These sources exist as internal citations and in the bibliography of this article.

Who is the author?

There are seven credited authors of this source: Robert B. Jackson, Avner Vengosh, J. William Carey, Richard J. Davies, Thomas H. Darrah, Francis O'Sullivan, and Gabrielle Petron, all of whom have doctoral credentials with affiliation to accredited universities and their environmental programs.

Who is its intended audience?

This article targets anyone who has some background knowledge of the debate about hydraulic fracturing and wants to learn more about either "side"'s argument. Most readers will use the article as part of their further research on the topic.

How did I find it?

I found this source through a search on the academic research database, Google Scholar, using the search term "fracking".