Reading "scholarly," or academic, literature is quite different from reading most types of literature that students may be accustomed to. Scholarly publications contain articles written by professionals in the field whose credentials are readily accessible. The articles may be original research or an extension of previous research. They are often illustrated with graphs and tables, and they have a list of cited references at the end. Articles submitted to an academic journal are "peer reviewed" or "juried," meaning other experts read and suggest revisions to the author before the final version is accepted for publication.
Popular magazines, on the other hand, do not provide in depth analysis of a given subject; they present an overview. Although the magazines themselves may focus on a specific subject, the treatment that the subject is given is of a more general nature; the information informs but does not explore the subject as extensively as an academic article. The authors of magazine articles are often staff writers or freelance journalist that may be knowledgeable regarding the subject but do not have the credentials requisite for expertise.
Use the information and links on this page to help you learn more about reading and understanding scholarly literature.
You will encounter a number of different types of articles when searching academic journals. Some of the most common types of articles include:
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