Read about the characteristics common to scholarly articles and check out corresponding examples. Remember that not all scholarly articles are peer-reviewed.
The purpose of a scholarly article is generally to advance knowledge in a field of study, often in the form of original research or analysis. Look for a statement indicating that the authors conducted original research or analysis.
Scholarly articles are generally at least 5 pages long.
They often include an abstract, which summarizes the contents of the article.
They are usually divided into sections and include headings such as literature review, methodology, results, and conclusion.
Authors of scholarly articles are experts in their fields. Their names are usually listed with their credentials (i.e., institutional affiliations and/or degrees)
Scholarly articles are text-heavy and use formal language.
They may include tables, charts, and/or graphs that convey information.
Scholarly articles include in-text citations.
They always include either extensive footnotes and/ or a list of sources at the end of the article, often called works cited, reference list, or bibliography.
It's important to remember the distinction between scholarly and peer-reviewed: peer-review is a formal process in which works are evaluated by fellow experts in a field prior to publication. Not all scholarly articles have gone through the peer-review process!
There are a few approaches to determining whether an article was peer-reviewed:
Finally, remember that not every article in a peer-reviewed journal went through the peer-review process. Book reviews, editorials, and other short features are generally not peer-reviewed and not considered scholarly.
Read about the characteristics common to scholarly books and check out corresponding examples:
The purpose of a scholarly book is to advance knowledge in a field of study, often in the form of original research or analysis. Look for indications that the authors conducted original research or analysis.
Many scholarly books have an index at the end of the book.
Authors of scholarly books are experts in their fields. Sometimes an institution and credentials are listed next to an author’s name. Look also for a “Contributors” section of an edited book (i.e., a book with individually authored chapters).
Scholarly books are often published by a university press or academic publisher (e.g., Harvard University Press, Oxford University Press, Routledge, Blackwell). You can find the publisher for a book on its title page or copyright page.
Scholarly books are text-heavy and use formal language.
They may include tables, charts, and/or graphs that convey information.
Scholarly books often include citations in the text (e.g., footnotes or endnotes).
They almost always include a list of sources, often called works cited, references list, or bibliography. Look for it at the end of the book or at the end of each chapter.
The examples shown on this page are from:
Buechley, E. R. & Şekercioğlu, C. H. (2016). The avian scavenger crisis: Looming extinctions, trophic cascades, and loss of critical ecosystem functions. Biological Conservation, 198, 220-228. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2016.04.001
Lepczyk, C. A., & Warren, P. S. (Eds.). (2012). Urban bird ecology and conservation. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com