International Education Journals

What is a Scholarly Journal?

 

A scholarly journal (also referred to as academic journals, scientific journals, or peer reviewed journals) is a periodical that contains articles written by experts in a particular field of study. The articles are intended to be read by other experts or students of the field, and they are usually much more sophisticated and advanced than the articles found in general magazines. Many instructors assign research papers or projects that require students to read articles published in scholarly journals. This guide offers some tips to help distinguish scholarly journals from other periodicals.

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Characteristics of a Scholarly Journal

 

Purpose
To communicate the results of recent research in the field of study covered by the journal. Scholarly articles reflect a systematic and thorough study of a single topic, often involving experiments or surveys. Scholarly journals may also occasionally publish review articles that summarize the current state of knowledge on a topic.

Appearance
Scholarly journals lack the advertising, colorful graphics, and photographs found in popular magazines. The articles are often lengthy, will begin with an abstract, and may include graphs, tables, or charts. Articles will include the name of the author or authors and a list of references.

Authority
Scholarly articles are written by the person(s) who did the research being reported. When more than two authors are listed for a single article, the first author listed is usually the primary researcher who supervised or coordinated the work done by the other authors. The most highly-regarded scholarly journals are usually those sponsored by professional associations; for example, the American Psychological Association and the American Chemical Society.

Validity and Reliability
Articles submitted to scholarly journals are evaluated by an editorial board and other experts before they are accepted for publication. This evaluation, often called "peer reviewed," is designed to insure that the articles published are based on solid research that meets the normal standards of the field of study covered by the journal.

Writing Style
Articles in scholarly journals are usually in-depth and contain an advanced vocabulary, since the authors use the technical language or jargon of their field of study. Articles are not written for the general public in that the authors assume the reader already possesses a basic understanding of the field of study.

References
The authors of scholarly articles always list the sources of their information. These references are usually listed at the end of an article, but they may appear in the form of footnotes, endnotes or a bibliography.