TIPS: Yale Colleges Writing Center describes a scholarly article as sources that have been approved by a group with recognized expertise in the field under discussion. Scholarly articles are also some times called peer-reviewed. SCF subscribes to databases that provide these academic resources. Scholarly sources are found in journals where editors make sure the article is read by experts and leaders in the field.
To find a scholarly article in a database you can often check a box that limits your search to peer-reviewed journals. This box is sometimes on the Basic Search, but almost always on an Advanced Search in a database. As database publishers vary, the place or the term used to limit this search is different.
When looking for this search limit, also check Full Text. This makes sure that the article you find is an article you can read immediately. SCF does provide free interlibrary loan on articles that we do not own. This takes some time. Please ask your Librarian for assistance.
Researcher beware : search results are not necessarily scholarly articles, but are in academic journals. Sometimes these journals have book reviews, news sections, announcements, reports, updates and other sections that are not academic articles. Ways to identify an online scholarly or peer-reviewed article:
1 ) Author(s) - Clearly identified author(s) usually with credentials
2) References - lists of works cited at the end
3) Title - usually descriptive, lengthy and uses professional terms
4) Length - is the article 5 pages or longer?
5) Ask - check with your Librarian or Professor
6) Review - look at the elements of the article. Make sure it has what the assignment requires, such as, tables, conclusions, methodology and other research articles elements.