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Frequently Asked Questions

I need to know if a source is scholarly or popular.

In most cases, your instructors will require you to use at least some scholarly sources in your assignments. The reason for this is that, in the academic world, scholarly sources are considered the "cream of the crop"--the highest quality sources you can use. This is because scholarly sources are written by experts in the subject area, are based on actual research, and undergo an extensive review process (more on all of that below).

Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference between a scholarly and a popular source. Use the below chart to help you decide if a source is scholarly or popular.

Characteristic What You'll See if a Source Is Scholarly: What You'll See if a Source is Popular:
Author
  • author is a researcher at a college, university, or research center (for example, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control)
  • author has an advanced degree (a master's or doctorate) in the subject about which they are writing
  • author is a journalist, staff, or freelance writer
  • author has a degree in journalism or writing                                                              
Publisher
  • publisher is a:
    • university press, such as Oxford University Press
    • professional society, such as the American Society of Civil Engineers
    • publishing company known for publishing scholarly work, such as Elsevier
  • publisher is a publishing company known for publishing entertaining material for a general audience, such as HarperCollins
Editorial Process
  • editorial process includes peer review, a process through which people who are peers to the author (i.e. researchers in the same field) examine the work to ensure the research was done properly and the conclusions are valid

Note: Sources do not usually directly say whether they are peer reviewed. You may have to do some digging--for example, by reading about a journal on the journal's website--to determine whether a source is peer reviewed.

  • editorial process involves fact checking and evaluating the work's style and grammar
Purpose
  • to report on or analyze the results of original research

Note: Sources may not state explicitly what their purpose is. You may have to critically read a source's introduction or examine the language and tone it uses in order to infer its purpose.
  • to entertain, persuade, sell, inform, etc.
Citations
  • always present in a structured format (MLA, APA, NLM) common to the field
  • there may be some quotes and references, but no formal citations
Audience
  • other researchers and students in the same field of study

Note: Sources do not usually directly say what their audience is. You may have to infer who the audience is based on the type of language and tone the source uses.
  • the general public

One Minute Tips: Scholarly vs. Popular Resources

This short video from Old Dominion University Libraries illustrates the differences between scholarly and popular sources.

Scholarly, Trade and Popular Publications

Professors will often ask you to find articles that are scholarly.  What does that mean? Journal articles are usually "scholarly" while magazine articles are "popular".  Trade publications are specific publications that are targeted to people who work in specific industries for example: the advertising business.  

Criteria Scholarly Journal Trade Publication Popular Magazine
Sample Cover scholarly journal cover cover of trade publication cover of popular magazine
Sample First Page of Article first page of scholarly article first page of article in trade journal First page of popular magazine article
Title of Article "Gender, toys and learning" "Toy Story" "The Truth About Boys and Girls"
Title of Publication Oxford Review of Education Professional Engineering Baby Talk
Purpose of Publication "Articles and review articles on the theory and practice of education from scholars throughout the world in disciplines including philosophy, political science, economics, history, anthropology, sociology, psychology and medicine." "Addresses the news & technology that impacts on the business & careers of professional engineers in all sectors of engineering & manufacturing." "Publishes articles on a mix of news and advice on the challenges of new motherhood from experts and moms who "tell it like it is.""
Audience Scholars and researchers in the particular field of study.   People in the business General audience.
Authors Scholars and researchers (generally not paid).   Paid staff writers, professionals and vendors in the field.   Paid journalists, staff writers and freelance writers.  
Editors Journal editors and peer reviewers. Staff editors. Staff editors.
Works Cited/References Almost always. Sometimes. Rarely.

Table adapted from a table created by NCSU Libraries.