What Are “Scholarly” Sources?
Scholarly sources report on original research by experts in a particular academic discipline. Often they go through a peer-review process, which means that they are evaluated by reputable scholars in the field before they are published.
Evaluating Sources: Academic vs. Popular
Parts
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Questions to Ask
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| Author: |
Who wrote it? Are they an scholar, journalist, or a writer?
Does the author have credentials that qualify him or her to write knowledgeably on the topic?
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| Sources: |
Does the author acknowledge his or her sources? How? |
| Content: |
Is the content substantial?
Does it appear to be valid and well-researched?
Does it make sense, based on your own background knowledge, or what other articles have to say on the topic? |
| Writing: |
Is the language scholarly?
Is the article or the book well written?
Do illustrations and data support the content in a scholarly fashion, or do they appear to be attention-getting, or sensational? |
| Audience: |
Who is the article or the book written for?
Is it written for experts and researchers in the field, or for members of the general public? |
| Journal: |
Is it published in a scholarly journal or a popular magazine? |
| Publisher: |
Is it published by a university press or a large commercial publisher (such as Routledge or Palgrave Macmillan) that specializes in producing scholarly books? |
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Is the Journal Scholarly?
Is the article published in a scholarly journal? How would you find out? Investigate the journal using these three strategies:
1). Search the journal name in the library catalogue (called LibrarySearch) to determine whether a journal is scholarly and/or peer-reviewed (also known as “refereed”).
2). Search the journal name in Ulrichsweb to determine if it is scholarly or peer-reviewed.
The black and white referee’s shirt indicates that the journal is peer-reviewed.
3). Visit the journal’s website to learn more about the periodical:
- Is it published by a scholarly association such as the African American Forum of the Modern Language Association?
- Is it published by a university press?
- On the journal’s website, look for the “About this journal” or “Submission guidelines” section to learn about the publication’s editorial policy.
Individual Activity: Making Scholarly Choices
This activity will allow you to effectively differentiate among the various types of sources encountered in academic research. Consult the instructions in a shared document on how to distinguish between three different types of articles: scholarly, popular, and reliable.
You will be prompted to enter your UTORid and password to access the activity.
