Intended for academic research (written BY scholars FOR scholars)
Cite (credible) sources
Published in/as:
Scholarly/Academic Journals (often Peer Reviewed)
Theses or Dissertations
Books or Book Chapters
Intended for a general audience (potentially for a specific demographic or community)
Credibility varies (may not cite sources)
Useful for perspectives, opinions, and very current events
Published in/as:
Newspapers and Magazines (articles, opinions, editorials)
Websites or Blogs
Social Media
Infographics, Online Video, or Podcasts
An abstract is a summary of the article. In addition to introducing the topic, abstracts often include information about research methods and results.
The introduction outlines the author’s plans for the article and can help you determine which parts of the article will be most useful to you. The conclusion section reviews all of the ideas and findings from the rest of the paper.
Topic sentences can help you determine whether that paragraph will include anything relevant to your research, or if you can skim (or skip) it.
Read the rest of the article, skimming through sections that are not relevant to your research.
Need more sources for your assignment?
Citations listed at the end of a scholarly article can be a great place to find additional relevant sources. Use the library’s databases or E-Journal Portal to search for the article or journal titles.