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As an early scholar, it is normal to be overwhelmed by "scholarly" articles.
Here is the best tip for navigating these articles:
CTRL + F
Hold down the Control key on your keyboard and press the F key. You should now see a search bar in your browser.
This is your browser's search bar and can be used on ANY WEBPAGE.
This way, you do not have to spend time reading an article until you decide you are going to use it for your paper.
| Overwhelming looking scholarly article: | Easy to navigate scholarly article: |
 |
 |
Relevance: Does the source have a lot of information about your topic or just a few sentences?
Currency: When was the information published? Has new research been published since then?
Authority: Is the author an expert on the topic? Do they have credentials to prove they are an expert?
Accuracy: Do the authors support their claims with evidence? Do they cite their sources?
Purpose: Do the authors explain why they are sharing this information? Do they present multiple points of view?
Periodical is just another term for magazine or journal.
There are several types of magazines and journals, the three most common types are listed here:
| Criteria | Popular Magazine | Trade Journal | Scholarly Journal |
| Example |
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|
|
| Content |
Personal narrative, opinion, general information. Purpose is to entertain or inform. |
Current news, trends and products in a specific industry. Practical information for professionals working in the field. |
In-depth account of original findings written by the researcher(s). Very specific information, with the goal of scholarly communication. |
| Author |
Author is frequently a paid journalist may or may not have subject expertise. |
Author is usually a professional in the field or journalist. | Author's credentials are provided; usually a scholar or specialist with subject expertise. |
| Audience | General public | Professionals in the field | Scholars, researchers, students. |
| Language | Easy to read | Specialized terminology, but not as technical as a scholarly journal. |
Specialized technical terminology. Requires expertise in subject area. |
| Graphics | Glossy advertisements and photographs. |
Photographs; some graphics and charts; advertisements targeted to professionals. |
Graphs, charts, and tables; very few advertisements and photographs. |
| Layout & Organization | Informal, usually no evidence or conclusions. |
Informal, articles organized like a magazine. Evidence drawn from personal experience or common knowledge. |
Structured: Article abstract, goals and objectives, methodology, results (evidence), discussion, conclusion, and bibliography. |
| Accountability | Articles are evaluated by editorial staff, not experts in the field. |
Articles are evaluated by editorial staff who may be experts in the field, not peer-reviewed. |
Articles are evaluated and peer reviewed by experts and scholars. |
| References |
|
Occasional brief bibliographies, but not required. |
Required. Quotes and facts are verifiable. |
| Paging | Each issue begins with page 1. | Each issue generally begins with page 1. | Page numbers begin where the last issue left off, so your volume may begin on page 312 or 3012. |
What does Peer Reviewed mean?
Essentially, peer review is an academic term for quality checked. Each article published in a peer-reviewed journal is:
Pros
Cons
