SOC 100 (Wilson)  

What is a "scholarly" source?

A scholarly article:

• is based on original research or experimentation
• is written by a researcher or expert in the field who is often affiliated with a college or university
• includes footnotes and/or a bibliography
• may include graphs or charts as illustrations instead of glossy pictures
• appears in a schlolarly journal published by an academic press

For more information see: Types of Periodicals

What does "peer-reviewed" mean?

Peer-reviewed journals (or "refereed" journals) are scholarly journals that only publish articles that have passed through a review process:

other scholars in the author's field or specialty read the article and determine the merit of the manuscript

The review process helps ensure that the published articles reflect credible scholarship in their fields. The reputation of the journal depends on the publication of credible scholarship.