Types of Sources
Popular sources, such as newspapers and magazines, are written by journalists or others for general readers (for example, Time, Rolling Stone, and National Geographic).
Scholarly sources are written for the academic community, including experts and students, on topics that are typically footnoted and based on research (for example, American Literature or New England Review). Scholarly journals are sometimes referred to as "peer-reviewed," "refereed" or "academic."
Identifying Scholarly Sources
Structure of a Scholarly Article
What might you find in a scholarly article? Click on the image to learn more.
Title: what the article is about
Authors and affiliations: the writer of the article and the professional affiliations. The credentials may appear below the name or in a footnote.
Abstract: brief summary of the article. Gives you a general understanding before you read the whole thing.
Introduction: general overview of the research topic or problem
Literature Review: what others have found on the same topic
Methods: information about how the authors conducted their research
Results: key findings of the author's research
Discussion/Conclusion: summary of the results or findings
References: Citations to publications by other authors mentioned in the article
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- Understanding and Recognizing Peer Review
What's so great about Peer Review? How do scholarly articles differ from magazines and newspapers?
