You will have to do some detective-work, but there are some telltale signs:
- Author(s): Ideally, you should rely on information that has been published by an expert..someone who has studied the topic long and hard. Most scholarly publications will list an author's credentials (their degrees -- M.S., Ph.D., Ed.D., etc. - and the institution that they work for) along with his or her name.
- Content: Look for articles that cover a topic in detail (more than just a few pages long, typically). It will probably include some kind of literature review, and discuss the work of other authors, in addition to any original research findings. Make sure it cites its sources (a scholarly article will always have a "references," "bibliography" or "works cited" list). Check it for accuracy and bias.
- Audience: Scholarly articles are written for professionals in the field. You will probably notice a lot of technical language and/or discipline-specific jargon. The tone will be formal.
- Publisher. Visit the journal's website to see what organization publishes it. Professional associations, universities and government agencies are usually good signs. As you become more experienced, you'll also start to recognize major publishing companies in your field of study (Wiley, Elsevier, Sage, etc.). Be sure that the publisher is not biased.
- Purpose and scope. When you're on a website (whether for a journal, publisher or organization), look for an "about" link to learn who the intended audience is and what kind of information is published.
With the APUS Library's databases, you can limit your searches to scholarly and/or peer reviewed articles -- a big time saver! Click here to learn how.
