What are scholarly articles?
REMINDER: For your assignment, you must use at least two (2) journal articles that are scholarly!
Characteristics of a Scholarly Journal Article
- Author is an expert in the field. The author's credentials in the field are established, and they are likely affiliated with a scholarly institution and hold an appropriate degree in their field.
- Written for a scholarly audience in that field of study (often very difficult for the general public to read)
- There is an abstract to summarize the article. You can read this first to determine if the article will be relevant and useful for you.
- There is a lengthy bibliography at the end of the article.
- Often based on original research, or new applications of others' research.
Below is an example of a scholarly journal article in the field of gender studies.
What are popular articles?
REMINDER: For your assignment, you can also use popular articles.
Characteristics of a Popular Article
- Usually appear in magazines, newspapers or non-scholarly journals (with lots of glossy, shiny pictures, and advertisements).
- Typically written by journalists (not by scholars who are experts in the field).
- Written for a popular audience, easy to read and understand.
- Might summarize or present research findings for the public, but the author is not doing original research in a lab.
- Typically do not include a bibliography, and they don't need an abstract.
Popular Article Example
"Why is the Word Gender Provoking Backlash the World Over" by Judith Butler