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CO130 - Academic Writing

Peer Review

Popular vs. Scholarly Sources

Here are the basic things to look for when trying to determine if you're looking at a scholarly or a popular publication: 

Popular Publications

  • Written by and for experts; authoritative
  • Evaluated by experts; peer-reviewed or refereed
  • Include bibliographies and/or footnotes
  • Lengthy articles that contain specialized language
  • Example: Journal of Social Psychology

Scholarly Journals

  • Written by and for experts; authoritative
  • Evaluated by experts; peer-reviewed or refereed
  • Include bibliographies and/or footnotes
  • Lengthy articles that contain specialized language
  • Example: Journal of Social Psychology

If, after examining a publication for these features, you still can't tell if it's scholarly/peer-reviewed, search Ulrich's Web (Periodicals Directory) for the publication title.

Types of Sources

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