Scholarly sources are publications written by academics and experts that contribute to knowledge in a particular field by sharing new research findings, theories, analyses, insights, news, or summaries of current knowledge. Scholarly sources can be either primary or secondary research and can come in many different formats, including books, articles, and websites.
Scholarly sources are different from popular sources, such as newspapers, magazines, and editorials, which are non-technical and appeal to the common public. Scholarly sources are generally peer-reviewed, meaning they have been reviewed by scholars in the field to check for quality and validity.
To determine if a source is scholarly, you can investigate the journal in which the article was published. Scholarly journals are discipline-specific and serve as permanent and transparent forums for the presentation, scrutiny, and discussion of research. Scholarly sources should also be based on verifiable facts, have a bibliography or list of references, be written for other experts or people who are familiar with the topic, and have technical language.