scholarly

							Scholarly Sources


   How to find scholarly sources using
   GMU Libraries databases.
What are Scholarly Sources?
   Webster’s Third International
    Dictionary defines scholarly
    as:

    Concerned with academic
    study, especially research,
    exhibiting the methods and
    attitudes of a scholar, and
    having the manner and
    appearance of a scholar.
Types of Periodical Sources:
   1. Scholarly Sources Come in the form of scholarly
    journals.
   2. Trade Sources Come in the form of trade journals.
   3. Popular Sources Come in the form of popular
    magazines, newspapers, or other periodicals.
Popular Sources
   Authors
       Staff or freelance writers
       Not subject experts
       May or may not receive credit.
   Appearance
       Visually appealing.
       Paid advertising, photographs, color.
       Shorter articles.
       No bibliographies or bibliographic references.
Popular Sources, cont.
   Content
       Might report on new research, but as a
        news item, feature story, opinion or editorial
        piece.
   Audience
       General public.
   Examples
       Newsweek, Time, The Economist, National
        Geographic, and Psychology Today.
Trade Sources
   Authors
       Staff or freelance writers
       May or may not be subject expert
   Appearance
       Visually appealing
       Paid advertising, many photographs and color.
   Content
       Reports on problems or issues of a particular
        industry.
       Might contain industry terms or specialized
        vocabulary.
Trade Sources, cont.
   Audience
       People in that particular trade or industry.
   Examples
       Billboard, Variety, American Libraries, and
        Computer Week.
Scholarly Sources
   Authors
       Subject experts.
       Receive credit.
       Credentials will be listed.
   Appearance
       Little or no advertising.
       Lack color and glossy photographs.
       Likely to have graphs, tables and charts.
       Articles are lengthy with full bibliographies and
        references.
Scholarly Sources, cont.
   Content
       Includes reports on original research and theories.
       Might include an abstract.
       Gone through a peer-review or referee process.
       Contains specialized vocabulary of the discipline.
   Audience
       Scholars, researchers, students.
   Examples
       Journal of American History, Science, Journal of
        Accounting and Public Policy, and Lancet.
What does “peer-reviewed” mean?
   Scholarly publications
    go through a peer-
    review or referee
    process.
   In this process, subject
    experts review the
    article to see if it is
    suitable for publication
    in a scholarly journal.
How can I check to see if a publication
is peer-reviewed?
   Many journals will have information about
    peer-review in the print copy of the journal or
    on their website.
   You can also check to see if the journal is
    listed as refereed in Ulrich’s Periodicals
    Directory.
   Many databases such as Science Direct and
    JSTOR only have these sorts of peer-
    reviewed, scholarly articles.
Is there a place I can easily find
scholarly articles?
   Both Expanded Academic ASAP and
    ProQuest databases allow you to limit your
    search results to scholarly, peer-reviewed
    articles. Just click the appropriate box.
   These databases are located at
    library.gmu.edu under the link Databases
Expanded Academic
ProQuest
You are Responsible…
                When you select the
                 option to limit your
                 search to peer-
                 reviewed, scholarly
                 sources, you still have
                 the responsibility to
                 ensure that information
                 is truly scholarly.
                Don’t just assume –
                 verify!
Remember…
   Many faculty use the terms
    peer-reviewed, refereed,
    and scholarly
    interchangeably.
   Don’t be confused – use
    the information in your
    class handout to assist you
    in deciding what sources
    will be best to included in
    your papers.
   If you have questions, you
    can always find a
    librarian…
Librarians are available…
   In person, at any of the four
    George Mason University
    Libraries…
   Via E-mail at the Help with
    Research link on the library
    homepage
   Via phone – the numbers
    are available at the Help
    with Research page, under
    Contact Us
   Or the Ask-A-Librarian, the
    virtual reference service,
    available on the homepage
    as well.
And…
   Here at library.gmu.edu under “Help with Research”