Typical features of a scholarly article:
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Length: scholarly articles are longer, usually at least 8 pages, but there is no set rule, and they usually include diagrams, charts, or graphs
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Bibliography: scholarly articles always have a list of cited works
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Language: scholarly articles are written for scholars and not the general public, so the language is specialized and technical
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Authors: scholarly articles are written by experts who usually have PhD and academic affiliations
- Some databases will allow you to limit your search to scholarly journals, other databases may provide further details about journals such as whether they are scholarly.
- Publisher databases will include information about a peer review process if the journal is scholarly
Just because your article is published in a scholarly journal does not mean your article is scholarly, because scholarly journals contain the following items which are NOT scholarly
- Book Reviews
- Editorials
- Letters to the editor
- Short news items
If you are unsure about using the information you've found, be sure to check with a librarian or your professor.