Scholarly journals are also referred to as “peer-reviewed”, “academic” or “refereed” journals. The articles:
- Are written by a subject expert
- Are aimed at a specific audience
- Often follow a fixed format that includes an abstract, introduction, methodology, results, discussion and reference
It is possible to narrow your search to "peer-reviewed" or "scholarly" articles as you begin your search or as a filter after you have submitted your first search statement. For example, in the ABI/INFORM database, I have narrowed my search to just "peer reviewed" articles. (See the sample search below.)

Scholarly books differ from popular books because they:
- Reflect original research conducted by a subject matter expert
- Have an extensive list of references
- Use subject-specific terminology
- Are published by a university press or scholarly publisher
Scholarly Internet sites do the following:
- Contain timely information
- Directly relate to the topic of the Research Brief
- Are written by a knowledgeable, credentialed source
- Provide reliable information that holds up to verification
- Offer an objective, unbiased viewpoint
Use the CRAAP Test Worksheet to evaluate the usefulness of web sites you have found (Source: Meriam Library at California State University Chico).