Critical Evaluation Of Sources Research Articles

Exploring the population and social structure of the Kyiv Eparchy through monastery service records from the 19th to early 20th century

The article aims to examine the informative potential and utility of service records from monasteries within the Kyiv Eparchy, spanning the period from the 19th to the early 20th century, in elucidating the status of Orthodox monastic communities and the social composition of their monastic life. The research methodology adheres to principles of objectivity, historicism, systematic analysis and critical evaluation of sources. Utilizing a method of historical reconstruction, this study seeks to construct a comprehensive understanding of the status of monasteries and the social makeup of their monastic communities from disparate historical evidence. A notable scholarly contribution of this study lies in its pioneering effort to investigate, analyze and assess the informational value of service records from monasteries within the Kyiv Eparchy during the specified period. Conclusively, service records, or formulary information, served as a prevalent form of annual reporting within monastic institutions throughout the 19th century. These unpublished documents serve as primary sources for documenting monastic life during the synodal period, playing a pivotal role in the administrative and communal life of monasteries and their inhabitants. Beyond simply detailing the composition of monastery brotherhoods and listing the names of monks and novices, these records contain rich insights into the individual lives of monastics. Examining such sources facilitates the identification of the number of monastics in Kyiv Eparchy monasteries, the motivations driving their monastic commitment, their roles within monastic communities, average demographics, social standing, educational attainment and even personal characteristics and behaviours. By leveraging these archival materials, scholars are afforded the opportunity to analyze the fluctuating demographics and composition of monastic communities within the Kyiv Eparchy throughout the synodal period, thereby enabling prosopographical investigations and contributing to a deeper understanding of Orthodox monasticism in the region.

Learning online research skills in lower secondary school: long-term intervention effects, skill profiles and background factors

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the long-term development of online research skills among lower secondary school students and how various factors such as teaching interventions and students’ self-efficacy, attitudes, information and communication technology (ICT) activity and gender are associated with development.Design/methodology/approachTwo intervention courses were implemented to improve online research skills among 7th-grade students. In the follow-up test in the 8th grade, students’ skills were measured in Web searching, critical evaluation of sources and argumentative use of Web information. Students’ self-efficacy beliefs in online research, their attitudes toward learning, behavioral intentions in online research and ICT activity were surveyed by questionnaires.FindingsThe main finding was that the effect observed immediately after the intervention in 7th grade did not last until the following year. A cluster analysis revealed six skill profiles characterizing strengths and weaknesses in students’ performance in the subtasks of online research and indicated that many students suffer from poor evaluation skills. Self-efficacy beliefs stood out as a student-related factor associated with the development of online research skills.Originality/valueThis study contributed to the pedagogy of online research skills. It indicates that small-scale interventions are not enough to enhance 7th-graders’ online research skills. Students need continuous practice in different contexts during their school years. It is important to support students’ self-efficacy to motivate them to develop their skills in all the subtasks of online research. This study also demonstrated the importance of follow-up studies in online research skills, as they have been rare thus far.

Assessing disciplinary differences in information literacy teaching materials

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to uncover similarities and differences among emphasized information literacy (IL) skills for the disciplines of political- and social sciences, economics, educational sciences, law sciences, mathematics, life sciences, history and German studies, based on an analysis of IL teaching materials.Design/methodology/approachEight issues of the German language publication series Erfolgreich recherchieren (Succesful Research Strategies) are compared by using a structuring content analysis. The category system is based on the IL standards and performance indicators of the Association of College and Research Libraries (2000), extended with additional categories.FindingsThe results, first, suggest that the biggest similarities and differences among the disciplines are found concerning the determination of the nature and extent of the needed information, especially in the area of identifying potential sources of information. Second, some of the disciplines focus more on international sources, whereas others focus on country- and language-specific sources. Third, the criteria to define the appropriate retrieval system differ among the various disciplines. Fourth, approaches to narrow the search results differ among the various disciplines. Fifth, the critical evaluation of sources is addressed in all disciplines but relates to different contexts.Research limitations/implicationsThis approach only addresses one book per discipline out of a German language book series. Further research is needed.Originality/valueThis paper is unique in its approach and one of few papers on disciplinary differences in IL perception.

How much do first-year undergraduate students in Norway know about information literacy?

This study aims to document first-year undergraduate students’ information literacy (IL) skills at a typical university college in Norway. This research is the first of its kind in Norway as previous studies on new students have focused mainly on the literature search. Prior to library instruction a selection of these students completed a survey with questions on the critical evaluation of sources, on plagiarism and on citing sources. Survey questions were designed to reflect the content of the library course in IL. Although most students were confident that they could avoid plagiarism when writing, many had large gaps in their knowledge, and lacked essential skills. Results also show that new students are better at evaluating sources than they are at citing them. Ethical aspects of plagiarism are discussed and comparisons drawn between students coming directly from upper secondary school and those who have some previous higher education.

The historian's craft and economics

AbstractHistory refers both to the past and to the systematic study of the past. Attempts to make a case for history in economics generally emphasize the first definition. There are benefits from increased attention to the past. This paper argues that significant benefits can be gained from increased attention to the systematic study of the past, the historian's craft. The essence of the historian's craft is the critical evaluation of sources. Failure to critically evaluate sources has the potential to lead to erroneous conclusions, whether one is using historical documents or more recently created data.

The Effect of Family Communication Patterns on Young People's Science Literacy

Given the rapid pace and complexity of science today, science literacy cannot mean understanding all of science. Rather, science literacy more appropriately means the critical evaluation of sources of information and basic standards of scientific performance as a guide to accepting and applying scientific knowledge to one's own life. The development of science literacy in children is probably shaped by other norms and experiences. This study examined the impact of family communication patterns on children's evaluations of a science story that contained a number of weaknesses. A family orientation toward concepts led to children's self-reported thinking about science issues when they considered the science information in the story. However, this led to actual critiques of the science in the story only when the concept-orientation was not accompanied by a simultaneous socio-orientation, the family orientation toward harmony and hierarchy.

Student Preferences for Cybersearch Strategies: Impact on Critical Evaluation of Sources

For this study, students were exposed to reality learning requiring them to make a business decision on the basis of information gathered via several different information search strategies. Results show that students enjoyed using the World Wide Web more than traditional library search tools to find information. In addition, they perceived information found on the Web to be more trustworthy than that found through other strategies. These findings alert faculty to the need to guide students when gathering data from online sources. Suggestions are made for assisting students to evaluate the validity and accuracy of information from all sources.

Data and Methods of Climatological Evaluation in Historical Climatology

The article summarizes which types of data and procedures are employed in historical climatology in order to arrive at climatic information. With respect to data handling descriptive data of a sporadic nature have to be distinguished from systematically recorded data. Instrument readings are also in a class of their own, as are the many types of proxy data. A climatic interpretation can only be done by means of a whole range of at times complex procedures. Historical climatology is situated between traditional historical science and the natural sciences. Critical source analysis and hermeneutics are part of their tools just as simple tests, multiple statistical methods or the reference to fundamental physical processes. Critical evaluation of sources, semantic profiles, derivation of indices, calibrations by means of regression analysis, comparisons with present-day standard data sets, regionalization, synoptic reconstruction and comparisons based on descriptive statistical evaluations are some of the terms that give an idea of the complexity, of the approaches and of the results that may be obtained. Two fundamental problems are related to the empirical determination of the reliability of the data and to data management. Both of them could be coped with successfully by establishing a special data bank. Since it is possible to derive quantitative time series and especially synoptic weather maps out of the historic data sets a link to modern computer simulated