Identify and Locate Scholarly Sources
Scholar
1. A learned person. 2. A specialist in a given field.
Scholarly or academic sources contribute to knowledge and further understanding within a discipline. Scholars build on research done previously in their field. Scholars understand a common language and accept standards for theorizing, researching, and writing.
There are a number of clues in recognizing scholarly sources, both within the text of the article itself, and within the larger publication.
Internal Clues
External Clues
Suggested Databases for Scholarly Sources
Internal Clues (In the text of the article)
Return to topArgument
Scholars state an argument or hypothesis, then build a case to prove or explain the statement. The case may be built on previous research or argument, or it may rest upon original research conducted by the author."This article analyzes the relationship between history and homophobia in Braveheart, examining in particular the way homophobia troubles the film's post colonial politics."
[From: Ray, Sid. "Hunks, History and Homophobia: Masculinity Politics in Braveheart and Edward II." Film & History, 29 (1999): 22.]
Citations
Scholars explain their research process by showing us their sources, both within the text in a literature review or in general discussion, and as specific bibliographic citations.This example is a quotation from the notes to the article. The author is showing us the theoretical basis for her work.
1. I use the term "post-colonial" as do the editors of The Empire Writes Back …See The Empire Writes Back: Theory and Practice in Post Colonial Literatures, edited by Bill Ashcroft, Gareth Griffiths, and Helen Tiffin (New York: Routledge, 1989), 2.
[From: Ray, Sid. "Hunks, History and Homophobia: Masculinity Politics in Braveheart and Edward II." Film & History, 29 (1999): 30.]Author's authority
Scholarly articles usually include some biographical information about the author to explain why the author should be accepted as an authority on the subject."Sid Ray is an Assistant Professor of English at Pace University. She has written articles on the analogy between political and domestic governance in Renaissance plays and prose…."
[From: Ray, Sid. "Hunks, History and Homophobia: Masculinity Politics in Braveheart and Edward II." Film & History, 29 (1999): 31]
External Clues (Not in the article, but in the source of publication)
Scholarly articles are published in journals, books, and collections of essays. Clues within the journal or book will also help you identify a scholarly source. Almost all of the clues can be found in the front or back of the journal or book.
Statement of publication
This statement explains who the publisher is. Frequently for scholarly journals, it will be a university, college, or other learned society or association."Film & History is a quarterly published by the Historians Film Committee... The Historians Film Committee has been an Affiliated Society of the American Historical Association since 1970."
Authority of Editors
As the authors of scholarly articles explain why they are authorities on their subjects, so too do the editorial staff explain why they are qualified in the field. In the masthead of a scholarly journal, the editorial staff will often list their affiliation, such as the colleges or universities where they teach.Peer Review
Articles accepted for scholarly journals will be reviewed by other scholars in the field to judge their merit. This information is usually contained in the instructions for author submission in each issue.Note: Not all articles from scholarly sources are scholarly. Film journals, in addition to publishing academic, scholarly articles, also publish book and film reviews. Although these are from the right kind of source, these articles will not help you enter the academic debate.
Suggested Databases for Scholarly Sources
Finding scholarly sources using Internet search engines can be difficult and you may have to weed through irrelevant material before finding what you need. The Library subscribes to many online databases which index scholarly journal articles. The following databases are useful when beginning ones research.
Academic OneFile
Limit your search to peer reviewed publications (in Advanced Search mode).
Academic Search Premier
Locate articles (scholarly and non-scholarly) on many topics from journals and magazines. Limit your search to scholarly (peer reviewed) journals.Communication and Mass Media Complete
Provides citations and full text in communication and mass media. Limit your search to scholarly (peer reviewed) journals.
International Index to the Performing Arts
Includes many scholarly sources as well as reviews of productions.JSTOR
Contains full-text scholarly journals and articles in the Arts and Sciences.
MLA Bibliography
Index to language, linguistics, and literature sources.
Project Muse
Full-text articles from humanities and social sciences journals from scholarly publishers.
PsycINFO & PsycARTICLES
Scholarly articles in psychology and related disciplines; includes 46 core journals from the American Psychological Association.
Go to the Articles and More page for a complete list of databases.
