Professors often use terms like academic source, scholarly article, scholarly journal, or peer-reviewed source—and it can be confusing. Most of the time, they’re all referring to the same thing: a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal article.
However, these terms aren't always used consistently. It's always best to double-check with your professor if you're unsure, because sometimes they might mean something different. For example, when a professor asks for an “academic source,” they could simply mean something reliable from a college library—even if it’s not peer-reviewed, like a book, a government report, or a magazine.
So, what is a scholarly, peer-reviewed journal article?
It’s a research article written by experts (like professors or researchers) for other experts. These articles are published in scholarly journals, and before they are accepted for publication, they go through peer review. That means other experts in the field evaluate the article for quality, accuracy, and contribution to the field. These articles typically include:
An abstract (summary of the research)
A literature review (overview of previous research)
Methodology (how the research was conducted, if it is an article from the sciences or social sciences)
Results and analysis
Citations and references
Take a look at this FAQ to find out how to determine whether an article is scholarly, peer-reviewed.
If you're ever unsure whether what you’ve found fits your professor’s expectations, ask your professor—or check with a librarian. We’re here to help!
