Why Articles?
Articles come from a variety of sources including newspapers, magazines, and scholarly journals.
Articles are useful because...
1. They are current
2. They cover very specific aspects of a particular topic
3. Articles from scholarly journals provide current research for very specific topics, and are peer-reviewed
Scholarly vs Non-Scholarly Resources
Your instructor may ask you to use only scholarly resources for your paper.
Scholarly (peer-reviewed) sources include books and articles published in scholarly journals, encyclopedias, and books. These sources are reviewed by a panel of experts in that particular field, and are often published by a professional association or a university press. These experts ensure the information published is credible before accepting it for publication.
More information:
- Anatomy of a scholarly article (from NCSU Libraries)
- Quick tutorial on reading scientific papers (from Purdue University)
Non-Scholarly sources include websites, magazines, newspapers, and books that undergo no expert review prior to publishing.
Check with your instructor if you plan to use non-scholarly sources and use the CRAAP test to evaluate them.
Magazine, Newspaper, and Journal Articles
Use the following online databases to find mostly scholarly/peer-reviewed articles. Each database allows you to refine your search in many ways: by adding keywords, by date, by type of publication, and many other features. You can print, save or email articles and also get the APA citation.
- Academic Search Premier This link opens in a new windowLarge collection of scholarly articles and more in a variety of subject areas.
- ERIC (via EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowScholarly and professional articles and other documents covering education.
- PsycARTICLES This link opens in a new window
Scholarly, peer-reviewed articles from the American Psychological Association
- Psychology & Behavioral Sciences Collection This link opens in a new windowMostly scholarly articles.
Can you spot the NOT-Scholarly Journal?
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Some of the hallmarks of a scholarly journal are:
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Journals - Scholarly, Popular or Trade?
Different types of publications have different purposes and different audiences. When we talk about journals, we can usually divide these publications into three broad categories: scholarly, popular, and trade publications.
| SCHOLARLY JOURNALS | POPULAR JOURNALS | TRADE JOURNALS | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Informs and reports on original research done by scholars and experts in the field. | Entertains and informs a general audience without providing in-depth analysis. | Reports on industry trends and new products or techniques useful to people in a trade or business. |
| Authors | Articles are written by subject specialists and experts in the field. | Articles are written by journalists, freelance writers, or an editorial staff. | Articles are written by specialists in a certain field or industry. |
| Audience | Intended for a limited audience - researchers, scholars, and experts. | Intended for a broad segment of the population, appealing to non-specialists. | Intended for practitioners in a particular profession, business, or industry. |