What is a scholarly article?
| Scholarly articles are mostly found in peer-reviewed journals. | |
| They contain original research results or in-depth expert analysis | |
| They disseminate research and academic discussion among scholars within disciplines. | |
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All scholarly journals are peer-reviewed, but not all articles in all peer-reviewed journals might be considered scholarly. Though they would be considered authoritative and credible. Understanding and being able to identify the various types of articles is crucial to the research process. The question should often be, "Is the article "authoritative" and "credible" not necessarily "scholarly." |
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| Identifying the type of periodical in which an article is published is central to determining if it can be considered a "scholarly" article. Consider: Scholarly Professional / Credible / Authoritative Popular These categories are not definitive. This is a judgement call! |
What Type of Periodical Is It?
| Scholarly | Professional / Authoritative/ Credible | Popular | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Characteristics |
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| Written by | Scholars or researchers in the field who have an expertise in the subject | Scholars or professionals who have education and experience in the field | Journalists, freelance writers or publication's staff | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Written for | Academic community | Professional community or General Public | General Public | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Published by | Scholarly societies/associations or academic presses | Professional associations, foundations | Mostly commercial companies for profit |
Peer-reviewed Journals
| Peer-reviewed (or Refereed) means a panel of experts in the field have reviewed the journal's articles for quality and accuracy before publication. Periodicals are either peer-reviewed or not. But some review processes are more rigorous than others. When searching library resources look for the option which limits results to peer review journals. When searching Google Scholar be aware most journal citations are from peer-reviewed journals but not always. Check! If you have an article or citation, but are unsure if the journal is peer reviewed, use Ulrich's Periodical Directory. Search for journal title and look for “Document Type.” This should specify Academic/Scholarly, Consumer, Trade, etc. |
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