Scholarly sources are written by experts in a particular field or area of study (discipline). These sources are used by others in the same discipline to stay informed and up to date on the most recent research, research findings, and news in that discipline. You might also hear scholarly sources referred to as peer-reviewed or refereed.
Peer reviewed sources are scholarly scources that have gone through a rigorous review process by a review board of colleagues in the author's discipline. This review board evaluates the source submitted for publication to determine its value as a contribution to the body of research in that discipline. The submission may be accepted, returned for revisions, or even rejected by the review board.
Using scholarly sources is an expected part of your academic course work because these sources are credible and authoritative; they are written by academically recognized experts. These types of sources will help you produce quality papers and presentations.
You are now a part of the scholarly community and need to join the scholarly conversation. Here is how it works and why these sources are important:
Building Blocks
Scholarship builds on previous ideas and discoveries. For example, medical care improves due to research. That research is published and/or presented. Other researchers consult this scholarship and produce their own research to be published and/or presented, etc.
Creating Pathways to Discovery
Researchers credit ideas and discoveries through citations and references in their papers/presentations. You, as a student researcher, also need to credit the ideas and discoveries of the researchers referenced in your own papers/presentations.
Creation of New Knowledge
Students write papers/present and cite previous research in their own work. They become the next generation of researchers and part of the scholary conversation.
Scholarly sources have particular characteristics as follows:
*The information found above was originally published in Hope International University Darling Library's libguide on Evaluating Sources, and is used with permission.
The CRAAP Method (aka CRAAP Test*) is a method used to evaluate information for appropriate academic quality. Apply the following criteria to your information to see if it should be used.
Currency = timeliness of the information
Relevance = the importance of the information
Authority = credibility of the source of the information
Accuracy = reliability or truthfulness of the content
Purpose = reason the information exists
*The CRAAP Test created by the librarians at California State University, Chico
Need help? Contact the VGCC Library.