Evaluation of Scholarly Sources

Source 1: "Geochemical evaluation of flowback brine from Marcellus gas wells in Pennsylvania, USA"

• The purpose of this article is to look into the the effects that hydraulic fracturing (fracking) has on ground water near drill sites. This is done by looking at some key components of the salty ground water runoff (known as brine) and how this water measures up to drinking water standards.
• The article was published in a journal out of Oxford, England.
• This article offers over twenty citations to a variety of sources. The majority of these sources are journal articles authored by scholars. The other citations are largely direct references to US public policies.
• The article is authored by three scholars. The writing group was headed by Arthur W. Rose, a scholar from Penn State University.
• Since this article was published in an academic journal, the intended audience is scholars and other scientists who can use the information.

Source 2: "Cornucopia or curse? Reviewing the costs and benefits of shale gas hydraulic fracturing (fracking)"

• The purpose of this article is to analyze all the potential costs and benefits that are associated with hydraulic fracturing.
• This article was published in a journal out of Oxford, England
• Over one hundred references were used for this article. The references listed are journal articles, news reports, national and state public policies.
• This article was written by Benjamin K. Sovacool, a scholar from Vermont Law School.
• As an academic journal, the intended audience is scholars and others interested in the subject.