For much of your research in college, your professors will require you to use scholarly, academic sources. For your final paper for this course you are required to use scholarly sources. These sources are written by experts and researchers in a particular field of study. Many are peer reviewed, meaning that before publication they have been sent to other experts to verify the value and accuracy of the article. Below is a table to help you decide if a resource is scholarly.
Characteristics |
Scholarly Journal |
Popular Magazine |
Length |
Articles are usually 10 pages or more in length; providing in-depth analysis of topics |
Shorter articles (less than 10 pages), providing broader overview of topics |
Written by |
Author usually an expert or specialist in the field, name and credentials always provided |
Author usually a journalist or a staff writer, name and credentials often not provided |
Language/Written for |
Written in technical language for professors, researchers, students of the field |
Written at high school level for the general public |
Coverage |
Original research results and scholarship |
Popular topics and current events |
Slant |
Supposed to present objective/neutral viewpoint; |
May reflect the editorial bias/slant of the magazine |
Frequency |
Usually quarterly |
Usually weekly |
Format/Structure |
Articles usually structured, may include: abstract, literature review, methodology, results, conclusion, bibliography |
Articles do not necessarily follow a specific format or structure |
Special Features |
Illustrations that support the text, such as, tables of statistics, graphs, diagrams, maps, or photographs |
Illustrations with glossy paper or color photographs |
Appearance |
Serious and sober, with few colors and few or no advertisements |
Glossy, with pictures and advertisements |
Editors |
Articles usually reviewed and critically evaluated by a board of experts in the field (known as refereed or peer-reviewed) |
Articles are not reviewed by experts in the field, but by editors on staff |
References Cited |
Usually includes a bibliography and/or footnotes |
Usually has no bibliography or footnotes |
Examples |
Ecology Social Science Quarterly American Political Science Review
|
Time Newsweek Sports Illustrated Scientific American |