A scholarly source is an academic book or article written by an expert, reviewed by other experts, published by a scholarly publisher. The purpose of a scholarly source is to inform an audience and advance scholarship. To identify a scholarly source, look for:
- Author - expert author in the field
- Peer-review - reviewed by other experts before publication
- Publisher - academic publisher like a university press or academic journal
- Sources - attribution given to the sources referenced by the author
Can I use sources that don't meet these criteria?
It depends! Your professor will give you specific instructions about the types of sources you can and cannot use for an assignment. If you are allowed to use non-scholarly sources, it is still important to check that the source is trustworthy. Consider:
- Who is the author? Are they an expert?
- Who is the publisher? Is it an established, informative source I can trust?
- Does it cite sources? Can I trace the information back to it's original creator?
- How old is it? Has information changed since it was published? Could bias or past beliefs shape the conclusions drawn by the author?
- What is the purpose? Is it to inform and advance scholarship?
