LibGuides: Electrical Engineering: Types of Sources

Types of Sources

Example 1: Scholarly Articles

Optimal design of solar photovoltaic power generation system
In this paper, solar concentrator mass and wind factor are used as objective functions. The coupling effect of function factors is combined with the adaptive chaos optimization algorithm for multi-objective optimization. The multi-objective function of a dish solar concentrator is obtained using weighting factors. Flow field and quality are then compared before and after the optimization of the dish solar concentrator. The optimized dish solar concentrator exhibits reduced quality but improved flow, stress, and pressure fields at varying degrees.
The study for saving energy and optimization of LED street light heat sink design
LED lamps are characterized by high energy efficiency, high luminance, and long lifespans. However, the heat radiation problem caused by the extra high power shortens the lifespan and reduces the luminous efficiency of such lamps. This study introduced the development of a novel cooling fin structure for LED lamps and compared its performance with those of commercially available products.

Questions to help you figure out if an article is scholarly:

Where did the article come from? (hint: If it's a journal, the journal's name may appear in one of the corners of the page)
Who wrote it? Are they affiliated with a research institution?
Are the sources cited?
How is the paper organized?

Example 2: Popular Articles

22 Brutal Crash Tests that Changed The Way Cars Are Built
Advancements in automotive crash testing over the past few decades have lead to dramatic reductions in injuries. Here are 22 wild crash tests that show how modern vehicles handle the harshest impacts.
The AC Volt

Questions to help you figure out if your article is popular:

Where did it come from? If you're not sure if it's a magazine or journal, GOOGLE IT!
Who wrote it? If you click on their name, what information are you given?
What are the sources used in this article? (It's possible they aren't even listed)

Remember, an article can still be trustworthy if it's popular. Sources like Forbes, Populat Mechanics, Nuts & Volts, etc. are credible but not scholarly.