What is a scholarly journal?
Your instructor has asked you to find an article in a scholarly (or academic or refereed or peer-reviewed) journal. Scholarly journals differ from popular magazines and trade journals/magazines in a number of ways. (See "Comparison Chart" below.) A primary difference between scholarly journals and other types of journals and magazines is that articles in these journals undergo a "peer review" process before they are published. What does this mean?
The following characteristics can help you distinguish between these and two other types of periodicals: popular magazines and trade publications. If in doubt, ask your teacher or a librarian for assistance.
Based on Scholarly vs. Popular Materials by Amy VanScoy, NCSU Librar
y
Where do research articles come from? View this quick video from NC State University to understand the process.
Just as a human is made up of parts (bones, muscles, tissues, organs, etc.), a scholarly article is made up of specific parts (title, abstract, methodology, conclusion, etc.) To view the anatomy, or parts, of a scholarly article follow this link: Anatomy of a Scholarly Article.