Michael Schwartz Library
Michael Schwartz Library
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Scholarly Literature vs. Practitioner/Industry Literature and Resources
Scholarly literature, also known as peer reviewed or academic literature, refers to research-based journal articles and books that have been through the peer review process. Journal articles in particular are typically the research report to a study that has been conducted, an in-depth literature review of other studies and research, or a theoretical article proposing new ideas.
Practitioner or industry literature will generally include reporting on events or trends within the industry or profession. The publications will have reliable reporting, writing, and editing practices, but are usually not based in data-driven research (although they often do a great job of summarizing academic research).
In both of the above databases, there will be a mix of scholarly and practitioner focused literature. Luckily, the databases clearly label both source types, and results can be filtered by source type.
Scholarly articles will be displayed like so:
Practitioner, or trade publications, will be displayed as 'Periodicals'
To filter the results by source type, use the controls on the left side of the search window. Some general business publications will be tagged as magazines, while more specialized publications will be categorized as trade publications.
Beyond searching for general research on these topics, you can employ specific strategies for finding assessments.
You might search for more information on specific assessments once you find them. Try and find the original articles introducing them (if available), as well as doing a quick Google to see if the assessment is easily available for purchase, if it's been adapted into a free online inventory, etc.
In many databases, you should be able to search for scholarly literature which explores the assessment or measurement of various different concepts and variables. Use keywords like assessment, test, scale, indicator, or measurement. It will be relatively easy to find studies which make use of some assessment, test, scale, or measure for the variables in question; in these cases, look at the methodology section of the study to determine what measurements were used, and if they are original or being borrowed from another study.
If the measurement or scale is borrowed, consult the reference list for a full citation and try to track down the original. When looking at an original assessment or scale, look for cues on how the test has been validated for accuracy. Articles where an assessment is introduced or further developed should provide information about the validation process.
An intervention in this context is any action taken by an individual, organization, or management with the intention of some changed outcome. You'll find direct references to interventions in the scholarly literature, as well as many articles in both the scholarly and practitioner literature that may not directly mention interventions but are still about them.
There aren't any specific databases to limit your search to for interventions, and there aren't any search filters to use. here, you are looking for studies or articles that simply report on specific changes that can be made or actions to be taken that result in a desired outcome. Focus on finding articles that relate closely to your topic and evaluate the contents of the article.