Google Scholar is an online website where you can search for credible, scholarly articles. Similar to searching a database, you will need to use the main keywords from your topic when using this resource. Also, not all information may be free and/or available in full-text format.
When conducting research, professors may use many of the terms below interchangeably when asking you to find articles for your assignments.
A Peer-Reviewed, Scholarly, or Academic Journal is a publication that is published periodically (weekly, monthly, annually, etc.) and contains original research by scholars, professors, or experts.
They differ from magazines and newspapers in a variety of ways:
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Popular Articles |
Scholarly Articles |
Written by: |
Journalist or layperson. Sometimes written anonymously. |
Covered by an expert in the field (scientist, researcher, professor, etc.). The author is identified. |
Notes |
Few or no references or notes |
Includes notes and/or a bibliography |
Publisher |
A corporation |
An academic institution, research organization, or professional association |
Writing Style |
Written for the average reader |
Written for experts and scholars |
Editing |
Reviewed by magazine employees |
Editorial board of outside scholars reviews the article before it gets published |
Contents |
Current events and general interest |
Research topics |
Frequency |
Usually weekly or monthly |
Usually quarterly, monthly, or annually |
Layout |
*Brief articles *Many advertisements *Many illustrations in color *Many photographs *Few charts, graphs, tables, and diagrams *Articles aren't summarized |
*Long articles *Few advertisements, if any *Most illustrations in black and white *Minimal photographs *Many charts, graphs, tables, and diagrams *Articles often summarized; this summary is called an ABSTRACT |
Where to buy |
An individual issue may be purchased at a bookstore or supermarket at a nominal cost |
Requires a subscription or membership in a professional association. Subscriptions can be expensive, often hundreds of dollars. |