Prompt #4 - Comparing Delivery and Style in Veterinary Medicine

By: Rachel Harvey

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Many different articles, news stories, journals, etc. can be written all about the same topic. It can be found though, that all of these sources may say a different thing and even convey a completely different. The two articles being looked at are both about antimicrobial resistance in animals and humans.

The first article comes from the National Library of Medicine written by Q A McKellar. It is written to persuade the audience on his point of view and what they believe is the most important part of the use of antimicrobials. The article is not very long and it is very to the point. The target audience is most likely someone who is looking for an over summary and outlook on the subject. There are factual details with sources. The purpose of this article is most likely to raise awareness to the subject at hand and inform the public who is interested.

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The second is a journal excerpt from International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents written by S. Schwarz, C. Kehrenberg, and TR Walsh. This a more research based article. There is a lot of scholarly based evidence and research. This is very long and contains a lot of different information. The authors are most likely appealing to an audience that are looking for a more in depth understanding of the use of antimicrobials. This would most likely be other veterinarians, health professionals, or even other researchers.

There can be a question, when there are so many sources, which ones should we trust? While both articles provided factual information. When looking for information, it is usually safer to go with an option like the second piece. Scholarly articles are more reliable and you can be sure of factual information. It is important to be able to identify an author and be able to see their reputation. Its best to stay away from articles that are one sided and lean to a more opinion or perspective response. While they can still provide good information, it has the potential for bias and can leave out critical information.

Sources:
McKellar, Q. A. "Antimicrobial Resistance: A Veterinary Perspective: Antimicrobials Are Important for Animal Welfare but Need to Be Used Prudently ." BMJ : British Medical Journal. British Medical Journal, 05 Sept. 1998. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.
Schwarz, S., and C. Kehrenberg. "Use of Antimicrobial Agents in Veterinary Medicine and Food Animal Production." Science Direct. International Journal of Antimicrobial Agents, 2001. Web. 26 Feb. 2017. 
"Antimicrobial+resistance - Google Search." Antimicrobial+resistance - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.
"Scholarly+article - Google Search." Scholarly+article - Google Search. N.p., n.d. Web. 26 Feb. 2017.