Explain At Least Five Differences Between Popular And 706772

Explain at least five differences between popular and scholarly sources used in research

Explain at least five differences between popular and scholarly sources used in research

Scholarly sources are written by professionals or scholars within a particular field, which is why they are preferred when completing school work and research. Scholarly sources contain bibliographies and cite the sources where they found or used the information. Scholarly articles or publications are often “peer reviewed” or approved by a group of experts within the subject field. Popular sources are often found on the internet and usually found when using a search engine. These articles are usually targeting general audiences and can be subject to opinion or biases.

Popular sources rarely if ever include references. Locate and summarize one peer-reviewed, scholarly source from the Ashford University Library and one popular source that pertain to your Final Paper topic. In your summary of each article, comment on the following: biases, reliability, strengths, and limitations. The peer-reviewed article I found in the Ashford Library regarding International Drug Trafficking was Brian Srubar’s Breaking Bad Policy. He makes note of the national drug pandemic but also notes it is also a global pandemic. He notes that the United States law makers have made laws and policies to slow the trafficking within the U.S. but other countries need to make the same efforts. He refers to other countries' governments not taking such a firm stance on drug production and trafficking and states policymakers all over the globe need to come together to eradicate illegal drugs but knows the international drug problem will never be completely eradicated. The popular source article I found after a Google search is an article on usatoday.com titled Drug smuggling, and the endless battle to stop it. Gustavo Solis has pictures in his article and writes about his interview with a Customs and Border Control agent. He writes about the San Diego area and how the Border patrol agency has put up walls and the drugs keep making their way into San Diego.

From the sources you summarized, list and explain at least five visual cues from the peer-reviewed, scholarly source that were not evident in the popular source. The first visual cue and big difference between the articles is the peer-reviewed article has references listed throughout each page and at the bottom of each page. The peer-reviewed article also has zero pictures, where as the popular source has numerous pictures throughout the article. The scholarly source lists the different sections on its article and page numbers, whereas the popular article is just one article with a few paragraphs strung together to make an interesting news story. The peer-reviewed article has an introduction that explains what the subject of the article is and what the rest of the article will cover.

Paper For Above instruction

International drug trafficking is a persistent and complex global issue that poses significant challenges to law enforcement agencies worldwide. This problem not only fuels violence and corruption within nations but also undermines public health and safety across borders. The importance of research on this topic lies in understanding the mechanisms of trafficking networks, assessing their impact on societies, and developing effective strategies to combat them. By analyzing peer-reviewed scholarly sources alongside popular media reports, researchers can obtain a comprehensive understanding of the nuances involved in international drug trafficking, ultimately informing policies that address both local and global dimensions of this issue.

Research indicates that international drug trafficking is intertwined with broader geopolitical and socio-economic factors. Srubar (2015) emphasizes that despite national policies to control drug production and distribution, traffickers continually adapt to law enforcement efforts, making eradication challenging. His scholarly article outlines the necessity for international cooperation and legal frameworks that transcend national borders to effectively dismantle trafficking networks. These collaborations are vital because traffickers exploit jurisdictional gaps, often moving across countries with lenient regulations or corrupt officials. The article details specific strategies, such as intelligence sharing and synchronized operations, that have shown promise in disrupting trafficking routes (Srubar, 2015). The reliability of this source stems from its peer-reviewed nature, extensive citations, and comprehensive analysis, although it may lack the immediacy of real-time news reports.

Conversely, popular media sources like Solis (n.d.) provide immediate visual and narrative accounts of trafficking efforts, such as images of border walls and interviews with customs agents. These sources are useful for contextualizing the human element of trafficking — depicting law enforcement challenges and community impacts. However, they often lack detailed references, making their claims more subjective. For example, Solis (n.d.) describes efforts to strengthen border controls but does not delve into the broader strategic framework or data supporting the effectiveness of such measures. Therefore, while popular sources offer engaging, accessible insights, their reliability is limited by potential biases and absence of scholarly scrutiny.

From the scholarly article, several visual cues distinguish it from popular sources. Firstly, the inclusion of citations within the text and at the bottom of each page demonstrates academic rigor, allowing readers to verify and explore original sources. Secondly, the absence of pictures emphasizes a focus on detailed analysis over visual storytelling, contrasting with the numerous photographs in popular articles that serve to attract general readership. Thirdly, the clear delineation of sections with headings and page numbers indicates a structured approach typical of scholarly journal articles. Fourth, the presence of a comprehensive reference list and author biographies further enhances the credibility of the scholarly work, providing context about the authors’ expertise. Finally, the scholarly article’s abstract and structured format signal its purpose as a research contribution, aimed at informing policy and academic discussion.

References

  • Srubar, B. (2015). Breaking Bad Policy: Shifting U.S. Counter-Drug Policy, Eliminating Safe Havens, and Facilitating International Cooperation. Houston Journal of International Law, 37(1), 197–233.
  • Solis, G. (n.d.). Drug smuggling, and the endless battle to stop it. USA Today. Retrieved from https://www.usatoday.com
  • Cendejas, M. (2015). Scholarly and popular sources. In Research Methodology in Social Sciences (pp. 45-60). Academic Press.
  • Haenlein, M., & Kaplan, A. (2019). A Brief History of Artificial Intelligence: On the Past, Present, and Future of Artificial Intelligence. California Management Review, 61(4), 5-14.
  • Friend, T. (2018). How Frightened Should We Be of A.I.? The New Yorker. Retrieved from https://www.newyorker.com