What Is The Difference Between A Scholarly And Popular Source?

by | Last updated on January 24, 2024

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Scholarly sources — intended for use in support of conducting in-depth research, often containing specialized vocabulary and extensive references to sources. … Popular sources range from

research-oriented [but lacking complete citations to sources] to special interest, agenda-driven publications

.

What is a scholarly source?

Scholarly sources are

written by academics and other experts and contribute to knowledge in a particular field by sharing new research findings, theories, analyses, insights, news, or summaries of current knowledge

. … Books, articles, and websites can all be scholarly.

What is the main difference between popular and scholarly sources?

POPULAR SCHOLARLY Articles offer overview of subject matter; reportage, rather than original research; sometimes contain feature articles and reports on current social issues and public opinion Articles often contain previously unpublished research and detail new developments in field

How can you tell the difference between a popular article and a scholarly article?

Popular Magazines video also describes the differences. Articles in scholarly journals

are written for professionals in a particular field

. The language of the articles will often contain jargon related to that field. Articles are written for a general audience, are free of technical jargon and easy to understand.

What is a popular source example?

Examples include

general news, business and entertainment publications

such as Time Magazine, Business Weekly, Vanity Fair. Note, special interest publications which are not specifically written for an academic audience are also considered “popular” i.e., National Geographic, Scientific American, Psychology Today.

What is a scholarly source example?


Books, conference publications, and academic journal articles

, regardless of whether they are print-based or electronic, are common types of scholarly materials, which share the following characteristics: The authors are scholars or researchers with known affiliations and educational/research credentials.

What is scholarly style of writing?

Scholarly writing includes

careful citation of sources and the presence of a bibliography or reference list

. The writing is informed by and shows engagement with the larger body of literature on the topic at hand, and all assertions are supported by relevant sources.

How do I know if my source is scholarly?

  1. The source is longer than 10 pages.
  2. Has a works cited or bibliography.
  3. It does not attempt to persuade or bias the reader.
  4. It attempts to persuade or bias the reader, but treats the topic objectively, the information is well-supported, and it includes a works cited or bibliography.

What are the characteristics of a scholarly source?

  • Have a serious appearance.
  • The words “Journal,” “Transactions,” “Proceedings,” or “Quarterly,” may appear in the title.
  • Written for professors, students or researchers.
  • Signed by the authors.
  • Articles are reviewed by a board of experts or “peer reviewers.”

How do you find a scholarly source?

  1. Look for publications from a professional organization.
  2. Use databases such as JSTOR that contain only scholarly sources.
  3. Use databases such as Academic Search Complete or other EBSCO databases that allow you to choose “peer-reviewed journals”.

Do scholarly articles have lots of photographs?

Graphs, charts and tables; lots of glossy advertisements and

photographs

. Photographs; some graphics and charts; advertisements targeted to professionals in the field. Structured; includes the article abstract, goals and objectives, methodology, results (evidence), discussion, conclusion, and bibliography.

How do you know if a website is popular or scholarly?

To determine if your source has been peer-reviewed, you can

investigate the journal in which the article was published

. Try going to the journal’s website and finding information about their submission & revision guidelines, or search the journal title in Ulrich’s to learn more about it.

Why should I use scholarly sources?

Scholarly articles are the most credible sources you can find

because of the rigorous peer-review process

. … They are thoroughly researched, which means you can “mine” the article’s bibliography to find other sources that might be useful for your paper.

Is .gov a scholarly source?

Mar 17, 2017 28450. Government documents and government websites are generally considered authoritative, credible sources of information. Many are

scholarly

, and some are even peer-reviewed! But, not all gov docs are scholarly or peer-reviewed.

How do you know if a source is popular?

  1. general interest stories which may refer to research but do not contain original research.
  2. written by the general public.
  3. are not peer-reviewed.
  4. rarely include citations.
  5. tend to be shorter, about 200 words to a few pages.

What makes a popular source?

A popular source:

Is

many times written by journalists or professional writers for a general audience

.

Uses language that is easily understood by general readers

and is written for the public. Rarely gives full citations for sources, though sources may be quoted.

Emily Lee
Author
Emily Lee
Emily Lee is a freelance writer and artist based in New York City. She’s an accomplished writer with a deep passion for the arts, and brings a unique perspective to the world of entertainment. Emily has written about art, entertainment, and pop culture.