Scholarly sources generally share the following characteristics:
Purpose |
To advance knowledge in a field of study, often in the form of original research or analysis |
Format |
Journal articles, books, book chapters; usually 5 pages or longer |
Authors |
Experts in the field, such as professors, scientists, etc. |
Language |
Text-heavy, with advanced language and terminology from the discipline |
Sources |
Includes citations and a bibliography, works cited, or references list |
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.