Comparing Two Online Sources: Newspaper Article and Journal Article

The significance of establishing the reliability and repute of sources of information cannot be overemphasised. Reputable sources of information are important for obtaining accurate information on a given topic. This paper evaluates two different selected sources of information on the connection between climate change and earthquakes. One of the sources is from a scientifically reputable resource and the other one is from a questionable resource. Following a brief summary of the articles, attention is paid to differences between the reliability of the resources, specifically highlighting why one source is more scientifically valid than the other.
The first selected source is an article in The Guardian by McGuire (2016). According to the author, global warming could be causing not only more destructive hurricanes, but also increased seismic activity. As the atmosphere is connected to other elements of the earth system, including oceans, ice glaciers, and the underground (geosphere), climate change is not just about higher temperatures – earthquakes may also be possible consequences. Theoretically, the reduced atmospheric pressure that comes with typhoons and hurricanes could cause earthquake faults deep underneath the surface of the earth to be more movable, consequently releasing the accumulated strain. This could in turn trigger more destructive earthquakes. The possible connection between climate change and seismic activity makes “climate change an even bigger threat” (McGuire, 2016).
The second source is a journal article authored by Viterito (2016). Based on empirical evidence, the article demonstrates the link between global warming and seismic activity. More specifically, the article shows that geothermal forcing has significantly influenced global temperatures since the late 1970s. Geothermal heat has the potential to augment thermobaric convection and reinforce oceanic overturning, consequently warming the oceans and the atmosphere. In essence, increased seismic activity could explain the increase in global temperatures.
The two topics focus on the same topic, but their level of scientific validity is different. Viterito’s (2016) article is more scientifically valid than McGuire’s (2016). Hence, the former is a more reputable source of information compared to the latter. First, Viterito’s article is a journal article. Journal articles are authoritative and scientifically reputable sources of information due to their peer-reviewed nature (Schultz, 2009). Before publication, the articles are extensively reviewed by other authors to ascertain their truthfulness and reliability. Most importantly, journal articles are generally based on empirical evidence. Viterito draws his conclusions not from intuition or experience, but from empirical data. This makes his article more objective. Additionally, journal articles are authored by individuals with extensive knowledge on the subject matter. Viterito is affiliated to the College of Southern Maryland, an important indicator of his authority on the topic.
McGuire’s (2016) article on the other hand is a newspaper article. Newspaper articles are generally not regarded as academic or scholarly sources of information (Schultz, 2009). This is in large part due to the possibility of bias or subjectivity. Moreover, newspaper articles are not based on empirical data, putting their credibility into question. Nonetheless, the reliability of such articles may be judged based on the credentials of the author. McGuire is described as a professor emeritus at UCL, with his interests focusing on geographical and climate hazards. This eliminates doubts about the credibility of the article and the author’s knowledge of the subject matter. Furthermore, McGuire supports his assertions with data from scientific sources. While these two aspects enhance the reliability of McGuire’s article, it is still less scientifically valid that Viterito’s article.
Overall, it is imperative to ascertain how credible a certain source of information is before using information from it. The reader should evaluate the nature of the source as well as the qualifications of the author(s). This is vital for establishing the extent to which a given source is scientifically valid.


References
McGuire, B. (2016, October 16). How climate change triggers earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes. The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/16/climate-change-triggers- earthquakes-tsunamis-volcanoes
Schultz, D. (2009). Eloquent science: A practical guide to becoming a better writer, speaker and atmospheric scientist. Boston: American Meteorological Society.
Viterito, A. (2016). The correlation of seismic activity and recent global warming. Journal of Earth Science & Climatic Change, 7(4), 345. doi:10.4172/2157-7617.1000345