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Library Research Basics: Scholarly vs. Popular Articles

Tips on how to find books and articles in the library and on how to research and write a paper.

Peer Reviewed Articles

When you're searching in one of our online databases, it's easy to limit your search to peer-reviewed journals. For example, in Academic Search Premier, there's an option on the main search page under "Limit your results" to limit the search to scholarly (peer reviewed) journals:

Peer Review check-box

You can also limit your results after you've done a search by clicking the Scholarly (Peer Reviewed) Journals box in the left margin next to the results:

Peer Review check-box

Keep in mind that not everything appearing in a peer-reviewed journal is a peer-reviewed article; there are also book reviews, editorials, etc.

Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed) vs. Popular Journals

When conducting research it is important to distinguish between journal articles and magazine articles. Journal articles are typically referred to as "scholarly," while magazine articles are usually considered "popular." Note that not everything published in a scholarly journal is peer-reviewed; there are also book reviews, editorials, etc., that wlil show up in searches of scholarly journals but that are not peer-reviewed articles.

CriteriaScholarly JournalsPopular Magazines
Example
Content In-depth, primary account of original findings written by the researcher(s); very specific information, with the goal of scholarly communication. Secondary discussion of someone else's research; may include personal narrative or opinion; general information; purpose is to entertain or inform.
Author Author's credentials are provided; usually a scholar or specialist with subject expertise. Author is frequently a journalist paid to write articles; may or may not have subject expertise.
Audience Scholars, researchers, and students. General public; the interested non-specialist.
Language Specialized terminology or jargon of the field; requires expertise in subject area. Vocabulary in general usage; easily understandable to most readers.
Graphics Graphs, charts, and tables; very few advertisements and photographs. Graphs, charts and tables; lots of glossy advertisements and photographs.
Layout & Organization Structured; generally includes the article abstract, goals and objectives, methodology, results (evidence), discussion, conclusion, and bibliography. Informal; may include non-standard formatting. May not present supporting evidence or a conclusion.
Accountability Articles are evaluated by peer-reviewers or referees who are experts in the field; edited for content, format, and style. Articles are evaluated by editorial staff, not experts in the field; edited for format and style.
References Required. Quotes and facts are verifiable. Rare. Little, if any, information about source materials is given.
Examples Annals of Mathematics, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, History of Education Quarterly, almost anything with Journal in the title.

Time, Newsweek, The Nation, The Economist

Adapted from a LibGuide by Beth Rohloff at Tufts University's Tisch Library.

Scholarly Journals Tutorials