What is a scholarly journal? - POLS 352 - Policing in America

Library Chat

Chat service is intended for CSU, Chico affiliated users.

Scholarly articles are published in scholarly journals. What is a scholarly journal and how is it different from a magazine or newspaper?

Scholarly or peer-reviewed journals have collections of articles written by experts in academic or professional fields. Their intended audience is other scholars and professionals. Journals are excellent for finding out what has been studied or researched on a topic and to find bibliographies that point to other relevant sources of information. Examples are: Journal of Psychology, Journal of Consumer Marketing, Lancet and Nursing Ethics, The word "journal" is not necessarily in the title of a scholarly publication.
Magazines are good sources of information or opinions about popular culture or up-to-date information on current events. Popular magazines typically have colorful covers and lots of advertisements. Examples are Newsweek, Sports Illustrated and National Geographic. Articles are often written by journalists, not by scholars.
Newspapers are usually published daily and are a great source of local information, editorials, and opinions. Most newspapers now publish Web sites. Examples of newspapers are the Wall Street Journal and New York Times.

Always cite their sources in the form of footnotes or bibliographies
Are written by an authority or expert in the field whose credentials are prominently stated
Often have a formal appearance with tables, graphs, and diagrams
The language includes specialized terms and the jargon of the discipline
Lengthy articles, typically more than 7 pages and often over 20 pages
Contain original research, experimentation, or in-depth studies in the field
Advertising is minimal or non-existent (if you are looking at the print or PDF version)

Download What Is A Scholarly Article handout

here for more characteristics and examples.