Scientific Source Quality Pyramid Workshop in Ecosystem Ecology Scientific Source Quality Pyramid Not all sources of scientific information are the same. This pyramid shows a few sources ranging from the highest quality on the top, to the lowest quality on the bottom. The back of this sheet has more information on each level of the pyramid. Insights into Climate Change: Past, Present, and Future Blogs and Wiki sites These sources are written by a wide variety of authors, and can range from high quality primary sources to low quality secondary sources. Peer-reviewed sources Popular Science Publications Newspapers, News Websites, Magazines Blogs, Chain E-Mails, Social Networking, Video Sites

Peer-Reviewed Sources Articles from these sources are reviewed by other scientists in the field. Articles are typically published in scientific journals that have strict requirements for article quality. Peer-reviewed articles cite the sources of their information and are written in an objective and professional style. These articles are usually primary sources that report original research findings. Popular Science Magazines These magazines have science writers on their staff. Many of the articles in these magazines are based on research presented in peer-reviewed journals. Articles in these magazines may not cite all of their sources, but frequently tell you where information came from. Popular science articles are usually written in a professional manner and are objective or narrative. Newspapers, News Websites, News Magazines Many of these sources report on general events as well as science news. Articles published in these sources are typically based on information from a news wire service (such as the Associated Press) and not from a peer-reviewed source. These articles do not typically cite their sources, but may mention where some information was obtained. The writing style of these sources is typically professional and usually narrative, telling a story that would interest readers. Chain E-Mails, Social Networking, Video Sites These sources are typically an individual’s personal report on a news article, scientific finding, or other event. The facts from these sources are usually not checked for accuracy or consistency by anyone but the author. These sources are typically written or presented in an informal style and can very often be biased based on the authors views. Sometimes these sources can have useful scientific information, but it is very difficult to tell where the information came from.