A scholarly (or academic) resource is one that is written by experts in the field for experts in the field. A popular resource is one that is written for the general public. Your local newspaper is a popular resource.
| Scholarly Journals |
Popular Magazines |
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Publication has a narrow scope or is limited to a specific field or sub-field of study; goal is to promote and disseminate scholarly research
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Publication is designed for a broad, general audience; primary goal is to make a profit
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Intended for academic or specialized audiences such as professors, researchers, students
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Does not require expertise in the field to understand the information; designed for the general population
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Has tables and graphics
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Has pictures and media included
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Has references, bibliographies, notes and/or works cited included
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May have verified facts, but does not include references or bibliographies
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Has little or no advertising; included advertising promotes books, journals, conferences
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Has advertising
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Has an author and author affiliations; authors are experts in their respective field
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May or may not have an author listed; authors are generalists, journalists, or freelance writers
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Published by a scholarly press or professional organization
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Published by a for-profit entity
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Editorial board of scholars in the field who review articles prior to publication in a process known as refereed or peer-review
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Editor is a journalist who works for the publisher
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Databases usually have some mechanism to search for only scholarly, or peer reviewed, articles. Look for a check box on the search screen which will allow you to limit search results to only scholarly journals if your professor requires a scholarly article.
What other professionals say about scholarly and popular sources