LibGuides: Academic Research Skills Guide: Identifying and reading scholarly works

Identifying, navigating, and reading scholarly works

Depending on your research topic, you may need to consult scholarly articles or popular press articles. Generally, scholarly articles are viewed as having more academic authority, while popular press articles may be helpful for contemporary topics or when examining public opinion on an issue. Always check with your instructor if you are unsure about the credibility or appropriateness of a source.

This table will help you identify if an article is scholarly or popular.

Characteristics	Scholarly	Popular
Content	Formal structure May include: abstract, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, or conclusion	No specific format or structure
Length	Longer articles In-depth analysis of topics	Shorter articles ("quick reads") Broader overview of topics
Sources	In-text citations or footnotes Bibliography/reference list	Rarely contain citations - original sources can be obscure May link to other popular media articles
Review Policy	Articles read and reviewed by peers for accuracy - peer review	Articles may go through an editor or editorial board
Author	Professional, specialist, or noted expert in the field	Journalist, staff writer, guest contributor, or anonymous
Audience	Researchers, academics, and professionals Advanced reading level Specialized vocabulary	General public Basic reading level Little or no specialized language - uses common vocabulary
Advertising	Very little or highly specialized	Significant amount
Examples	Journal of Politics and Society Philosophical Quarterly Journal of British Studies Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice	Maclean's People Vanity Fair Wired

Many scholarly journal articles follow a similar structure, with the exception of articles in the Humanities. This structure is outlined and described below. Learn how to navigate a scholarly article by reading more about the different article sections.

Title

The title of the article will give you a brief preview of the article contents.

Abstract

The abstract is a summary of the article, highlighting the most important points. Read the abstract before the rest of the article to make sure it is relevant to your research and worth reading further.

Introduction

The introduction provides important context and background for the topic of the article. It may reveal the author's motivation for completing the research.

Literature Review

The literature review is an overview of other scholarly research (such as books and articles) about the article's topic. This section positions the article in the context of existing scholarship and shows how it relates to other work. It may also introduce key terms relevant to the topic.

Methodology (or Methods)

The methodology describes the methods used to conduct the research. Examples of methods include interviews, surveys, narrative analysis, and case studies.

Results

The results section describes the findings of the research. This section outlines what the author discovered, and may include charts, graphs, tables, and statistics.

Discussion

The discussion sheds light on the significance of the findings.

Conclusion

Concludes the article by summing up the article's key points. The conclusion may also pose new questions raised by the research.

Bibliography (or Reference List)

The bibliography is the list of sources referenced by the author. This list may be a helpful source for further reading on the article topic.

Because scholarly articles are broken into clear sections, it is more efficient to read by selectively reading the sections that are most important for your purposes. This type of reading is non-linear and strategic.

Step 1: Read the abstract first.

Read the abstract to ensure the article is relevant to your research. If the article seems relevant, move on to step 2.

Step 2: Read the introduction, the discussion section, and the conclusion.

Reading these sections will reveal the most important points of the article, including the motivations for the research, the significance of the research, and any final conclusions or take aways. While reading, highlight quotes that seem important or raise questions in your mind.

Step 3: Skim the other sections.

Quickly skim to take note of headings and figures that interest you and consider looking at those sections in more depth if they seem relevant.

Step 4: Reflect on what you've read in steps 1, 2, and 3.

As a starting point, consider: What are the article's key points? Why is the article important? How does it compare with other you've read on this (or related) topics?