Center for Leadership & Social Change

When conducting research, it’s crucial to understand the difference between scholarly and non-scholarly sources. This knowledge helps you select the best materials for your assignments, particularly when working on evidence-based research, literature reviews, and critical analyses.

Scholarly sources are materials that contribute to academic discourse in a particular field. They include:

• Evidence-Based Research: Original studies or experiments that contribute new knowledge.
• Literature Reviews: Summaries of existing research that identify gaps and trends.
• Critical Analyses: Detailed evaluations of research or literature on a specific topic.
• Scholarly Perspectives: Insights and interpretations from experts in the field.

Features of Scholarly Sources

Scholarly articles can typically be identified by the following characteristics:

• Content: Focuses on a specialized, academic topic.
• Audience: Aimed at scholars, researchers, or students in the field.
• Language: Uses technical terminology and complex sentence structures.
• Purpose: To report original research, review existing literature, or present a theoretical argument.
• Authorship: Written by experts with advanced degrees and a history of publication on the topic.
• Peer-Review: Reviewed by experts before publication to ensure quality and accuracy.
• References: Includes a comprehensive list of sources, often in the form of footnotes, endnotes, or a bibliography.

Non-scholarly sources, such as popular magazines, newspapers, and trade publications, are generally intended for a broader audience. They are useful for:

• Current Events: Articles that provide timely information on recent happenings.
• Opinion Pieces: Articles that present a particular viewpoint or analysis without in-depth research.
• General Information: Overviews or summaries of topics for the general public.

Features of Non-Scholarly Sources

Non-scholarly articles can be identified by the following characteristics:

• Content: Broad or general topics that appeal to a wide audience.
• Audience: Written for the general public or professionals in a specific industry.
• Language: Informal, accessible language without technical jargon.
• Purpose: To inform, entertain, or persuade rather than to contribute to academic discourse.
• Authorship: Often written by journalists, freelance writers, or industry professionals without advanced academic credentials.
• Lack of Peer-Review: Generally not peer-reviewed, meaning they haven’t been evaluated by experts in the field.
• References: Minimal or no references; sources are rarely cited in detail.

Scholarly sources can generally be identified by several features:

1. Content: Is the topic of the material academic?
2. Audience: Is the material written for a reader who is knowledgable about the topic?
3. Language: Does the author use higher level language and discipline-specific terminology?
4. Intent: Is the purpose of the material to report findings of a research project, present a case study, make an argument about a topic based on supporting evidence or research, etc?
5. Authorship: Are the qualifications of the author listed?  For scholarly work look for advanced degree(s) as well as experience writing and/or researching on the topic.
6. Peer-review: Is the material peer-reviewed or refereed?  This means material is evaluated by experts and only published if it meets the discipline's standards.
7. References: Does the author support his or her findings with references to other scholarly research in footnotes, endnotes or a bibliography at the end? 

When deciding whether to use a scholarly or non-scholarly source, consider the following questions:

• What is the purpose of your research? If it requires in-depth analysis, original research, or scholarly perspectives, prioritize scholarly sources.
• Who is your audience? If your assignment is for an academic course, your instructor will likely expect you to use scholarly sources.
• How credible is the source? Always check the author’s credentials, the publication’s reputation, and whether the article has been peer-reviewed.