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John M. Flaxman Library SAIC School of the Art Institute of Chicago

Evaluating Resources Guide

Comparing Scholarly Sources

  Scholarly Articles Peer-Reviewed Articles Scholarly Press Books Academic Press Books
Examples

Afterall

Art Journal

History as Art, Art as History: Contemporary Art and Social Studies Education 

(Press: Routledge)

The Art of History: African American Women Artists Engage the Past 
 

(Press: Rutgers University Press)

Content

Primary account of original research; often includes abstract, method, discussion, tables, conclusions, and references

*Not all scholarly articles are peer-reviewed

Primary account of original research; often includes abstract, method, discussion, tables, conclusions, and references

*Content has been reviewed and evaluated for quality by other scholars in the author's field, a process called peer-review.

Often reports original research, reviews and evaluates material that has already been published, or expands and refines theory Often reports original research, reviews and evaluates material that has already been published, or expands and refines theory
Language

Academic, technical jargon that uses the language of the discipline

Requires some relevant expertise

Academic, technical jargon that uses the language of the discipline

Requires some relevant expertise

Academic, technical jargon that uses the language of the discipline

Requires some relevant expertise

Academic, technical jargon that uses the language of the discipline

Requires some relevant expertise

Authors

Researchers, scholars, professors, etc

Includes author's credentials and institutional affiliation

Researchers, scholars, professors, etc

Includes author's credentials and institutional affiliation

Researchers, scholars, professors, etc

Includes author's credentials and institutional affiliation

Researchers, scholars, professors, etc

Includes author's credentials and institutional affiliation

References References, footnotes or bibliographies are always included References, footnotes or bibliographies are always included References, footnotes or bibliographies are always included References, footnotes or bibliographies are always included
Editors Journal's editorial board Journal's editorial board in addition to external scholars in the same field Book/Anthology Editors: Researchers, scholars, professors, etc Book/Anthology Editors: Researchers, scholars, professors, etc
Publishers Universities, scholarly presses, or academic organizations Universities, scholarly presses, or academic  Scholarly presses, or academic organizations Universities
Examples Databases Academic Search CompleteArt Design & Architecture CollectionJSTOR

Academic Search CompleteJSTOR

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