Objectivity/Bias
It should be stated here that journal articles are biased - they are written from the perspective of the author(s).
This, however, is not necessarily a "bad thing" as you would not expect journal articles to give a balanced view, where 'both sides are represented' but give the authors 'take' on a particular issue. What is important is the kind/type of evidence that is used to substantiate the argument. Think:
- Is the research, or are the writers, sponsored by a group or company? Why might this be a problem?
For example in the journal Nature you may find information at the end of an article, where the authors have to declare any funding they had to conduct the research. You may see wording such as "The authors declare no competing financial interests" or as in the article mentioned below "Elizabeth A. Winzeler and Mats Wahlgren declare conflicts of interest". In this article, "Perspectives; the missing pieces", taken from the April 2012 supplement these two authors have declared conflicts of interest and a web address is given to find out more. Upon further investigation and by visiting the website: go.nature.com/spwwfg, you can see what these interests are and it states, under author information:
"Elizabeth A Winzeler has significant financial interest in Novartis, a company which manufactures antimalarial drugs. Mats Wahlgren is a member of the board of Dilaforette AB, a small startup company at the Karolinska Insitutet, involved in the development of adjunct treatment for severe malaria."
You should also make sure that the author has made clear their viewpoint. One example of this could be where the theoretical perspective and research method that has been used is described. For example look at introductory paragraphs or abstracts where the writer(s) sets out their purpose or the approach taken such as in this article: 'Business modules, business strategy and innovation'.
