What is a Scholarly Article?
Both scholarly and peer-reviewed articles are written by experts in academic or professional fields. Scholarly articles are published in journals for specific academic disciplines. Many scholarly journals are also peer-reviewed.
Peer-reviewed articles are submitted to reviewers who are experts in the field. Because the reviewers specialize in the same scholarly area as the author, they are considered the author’s peers (hence “peer review”).
Both scholarly and peer-reviewed articles are excellent places to find what has been studied or researched on a topic, as well as find references to additional relevant sources of information.
Types of Scholarly Articles
Types of Scholarly Articles
Original
An article that reports on original research such as an experiment, or analysis of data, a creative work, phenomena, or historical event.
Review
An article summarizing the results of many original articles investigating similar topics. May use analytic techniques such as meta-analysis to statistically compare data from multiple studies.
Tip #1 - Many scholarly journals, especially in the Humanities, also publish book reviews of scholarly books. These are not the same as review articles!
Theory
An article intended to contribute to the theoretical foundations of a field, providing explanations for phenomena and frameworks that can be used to guide the analysis of evidence.
Parts of a Scholarly Article
|
Abstract |
Brief summary of the article. |
| Introduction | States the topic, purpose, and argument of the article. |
| Methods | Mentions steps taken to support argument of the article. |
| Results/Findings | Shares results of the research. |
| Discussion | Analyzes and talks about the findings of the research. |
| Conclusion | Synthesizes the article's findings and argument. |
| References | List of cited sources. |
Reading Scholarly Articles
How To Read A Scholarly Article
Read The Abstract
The abstract will give you a general understanding of the article. Also, pay attention to the authors and their titles.
Read The Conclusion
The conclusion will summarize the author's findings including ways of improving the research.
Read The Introduction
The introduction will set up the layout of the article and the main argument of the article.
Tip #1: Highlight important ideas.
Read The First And Last Sentence Of Each Paragraph
The first and last sentence of each paragraph will give you a brief understanding of the discussion.
Tip #2: Take notes on the margins.
Read The Rest Of The Article
After getting a general idea of the article, read the entire article to get a full picture of the author's argument.
Tip #3: Repeat steps one and two.
Databases
- Web of Science This link opens in a new window
Scholarly literature in the sciences, health and medicine, social sciences, arts, and humanities and proceedings of international conferences, symposia, seminars, colloquia, workshops, and conventions. Includes cited reference searching across many databases. Search all databases in Web of Science (includes Medline and BIOSIS, direct link for on-campus users). Dates of coverage: 1965 to present.
- BIOSIS Previews (via Web of Science) This link opens in a new window
Indexes worldwide biological and medical literature. Includes Biological Abstracts. Dates of coverage: 1969 to present. Select BIOSIS Previews from the pull down menu beside the Web of Science Core Collection heading.
Selected Publications
- Biological ConservationBiological Conservation is a leading international journal in the discipline of conservation science. The journal publishes articles spanning a diverse range of fields that contribute to the biological, sociological, ethical, and economic dimensions of conservation.
- Conservation BiologyConservation Biology is the leading journal in the field of conservation. Its ground-breaking research articles, essays, and reviews develop new theory and methods, define key problems, and propose solutions, exploring the social, ecological, and philosophical dimensions of the conservation of biological diversity.
- Conservation LettersConservation Letters is a bimonthly peer-reviewed open-access scientific journal covering research on all aspects of conservation biology.
- Frontiers in Ecology and EvolutionProvides ecological and evolutionary insights into our natural and anthropogenic world, and how these insights can inform its management.
- Journal of Wildlife ManagementThe Journal of Wildlife Management is a peer-reviewed scientific journal devoted to the ecology of non-domesticated animal species.