Scholarly vs. Popular Sources
It is important to distinguish between scholarly journal articles and popular magazine articles. Journal articles are typically referred to as scholarly. Journals publish research that is reviewed by other experts in the same field before publication. Magazine articles are usually considered popular. These magazines can have a variety of purposes such as to inform or entertain.
| Type of source |
Scholarly (Generally Peer-Reviewed*) |
Popular |
| Example |  |
 |
| Content | Original research by an expert in the field. The goal is communication with other professionals | General information written by a journalist who may or may not have experience in the field. The goal is to inform or entertain. |
| Author | Scholar or researcher in the field | Journalist or paid writer |
| References | Required. All quotes and information must be verifiable. | Uncommon. Though background may be given, few if any references are generally provided. |
How do you know if a source is good or bad, reliable or unreliable? This video will help you figure it out. Click below to watch it now!
The terms "scholarly" and "peer-reviewed" are often used as if they mean the same thing, but they actually have slightly different meanings.
A peer-reviewed article is written by an expert, called a scholar, and is intended for other experts in the same field. When the author submits their article to a scholarly journal, it goes through a process called "peer review." This means the article is sent to a group of experts who check it for accuracy, relevance, and errors. They then decide whether the article should be published. Even if the article is accepted, the author may need to make some corrections before it’s ready to be published. Peer-reviewed articles are published only if the experts agree that the work adds value to the field of study. Unlike writing for magazines or newspapers, authors typically don’t get paid for peer-reviewed articles; their reward is contributing to their field.
Scholarly articles, on the other hand, are also written by experts, but they include a wider range of content. Besides peer-reviewed articles, scholarly publications might have editorials, news about developments in the field, or book reviews. While these articles are informative and written by knowledgeable people, they don’t usually go through the strict peer-review process. You might find these types of articles in the same journals that publish peer-reviewed content.