What Is a Scholarly Article?
If your professor requires you to use scholarly sources, how do you determine whether the information you find comes from scholarly sources or from non-scholarly sources?
The chart below offers a quick comparison between scholarly and non-scholarly sources.
| Criteria | Scholarly Source | Non-Scholarly Sources | ||
| Source | Scholarly Journal | Trade Publication | Popular Magazine | Newspaper |
| Sample Cover |  |  |  |  |
| Audience | Academics & Professions | People in the business | General public | General public |
| Authors | Experts or specialists (unpaid) | Staff writers, industry professional, businesses (paid) | Journalists, staff writers, freelance writers (paid) | Journalists, staff writers, freelance writers (paid) |
| Editorial Review | Journal editorial board and peer reviewers (unpaid) | Professional editors (paid) | Professional editors (paid) | Professional editors (paid) |
| References/Works Cited | Always | Sometimes | Rarely | Never |
Adapted from Infographic for Scholarly and Non-Scholarly Article Rubric. Retrieved from http://gardner-webb.libguides.com/ld.php?content_id=21798448.