WHAT IS A "SCHOLARLY" JOURNAL?
A scholarly journal is one of the main spaces where scholars and experts in an academic field exchange ideas, publish new research and findings, and engage with each other in written discussions. An article that is published in a scholarly journal is identifiable by the following features:
Author: researchers or experts in a field whose credentials are listed
Audience: other scholars, professionals, or students familiar with a field
Language: complex and academic, and uses terminology and jargon specific to a field
Content: original research or an in-depth analysis of issues in a field
References: footnotes, endnotes, or in-text citations, as well as a bibliography or list of works cited
Editing: works inside are peer-reviewed
This list was inspired by lists on other library websites, particularly that of Lindsey Wharton at Florida State University
WHAT DOES "PEER-REVIEWED" MEAN?
Peer-review refers to the rigorous process that articles undergo before they may be published. Other scholars in the author's field or discipline review and evaluate the article for quality and validity. If lacking, the article may be rejected or req, but otherwise, the article is accepted, often with suggestions for revision.
HOW CAN I QUICKLY TELL IF SOMETHING IS SCHOLARLY?
Check out the How to Identify a Scholarly Article and How to Identify a Scholarly Book pages in this guide!