...to evaluate

Just because an article is scholarly doesn't mean that you can throw evaluation out the window. The resource should be relevant to the topic you've chosen and answer the questions you've posed in your paper.

Also, there have been instances of faulty articles or even hoax articles being published in scholarly journals. Consider the Sokal Affair.

Many library databases include a box that you can check to filter out the non-scholarly articles. While these tools are useful, they are not foolproof. It's a good idea to evaluate each individual article you use to make sure that it comes from a scholarly publication.

Scholarly articles are intended for an academic audience and are typically published by a university or other non-profit press. These articles report original research or provide in-depth analysis on a particular topic. Often, these publications are peer-reviewed, or screened by experts in the field.

How do you know if an article comes from a scholarly journal? Scholarly articles typically...

• Engage with what's already been written on a subject and cite many sources
• Use the terminology of a particular field. They are written by scholars for scholars
• Report the findings of a research study, discuss recent trends or hot topics in a discipline or call for additional research
• Are not widely available for free on the Internet (There are some exceptions)

When reviewing articles in a library database, it can be hard to tell if a particular article is scholarly. Watch this SHORT VIDEO to find out more about how to tell if an article is scholarly.