What is scholarly information?

Many lecturers require students to use scholarly or peer-reviewed journal articles for assignments. As a smart researcher, you need to be able to tell whether an article is scholarly.

Scholarly articles are in-depth, accurate, well-researched, written by academics and published in academic journals. They are good and credible sources of information because the articles have been through a peer-review process. This means the article has been formally evaluated by equally qualified academics and experts.

Play this video for more on 'What’s a scholarly resource?'.

Transcript (RTF)

Sometimes your assignment requires you to use other types of information other than scholarly resources. Non-scholarly sources can also be useful for your research. They can provide useful information about:

current events
popular and community information
industry, trade and the professions
government policy and legal information
regions outside Australia, particularly those that are rapidly developing or changing

They are usually written by professionals who have specialist knowledge in a field, or by people with a special interest in a topic who have developed reputation for their opinions.

Some common examples of non-scholarly sources are:

news sources, newspapers, and materials that are time-based and get updated frequently
primary sources
data and statistical publications and compilations
trade and professional sources
audio-visual resources and videos

Check with a librarian and/or your lecturer if you are unsure of whether your non-scholarly source is appropriate information for your assignment. You can also use the Ask the Library service..

Try this quick activity to test your knowledge about appropriate information sources.

Activity: Which information source is best?

Identify the best information source in the scenarios below. Click on the 'Check answers' button when you are finished.

Scenario 1
You are studying for a small business qualification. Your task is to choose a small business idea and to identify and analyse potential competitors. Choose the most appropriate information source from the list.

The website of an existing business that could be a potential competitor.
Feedback: Well done. This is the best option. Websites are useful sources for this research task because they often contain details about potential competitors including price, product range, target market and annual reports.
Advertisement in trade magazine for similar business.
Feedback: Although an advertisement can help identify competitors, you cannot analyse them. A competitor's website is a better option because it often contains details about price, product range, target market and annual reports to assist in analysis.
Bureau of Statistics report that cites the number of new small businesses that commenced in the previous financial year.
Feedback: The Bureau of Statistics is a reputable source of information but, in this case, the information is not specific or relevant to the research topic.
An article in a popular magazine about how someone else started up their own small business.
Feedback: Articles in popular magazines can be appropriate sources of information. This particular article is too general and may provide useful background but will not assist in identifying and analysing competitors.

Scenario 2
You are researching emerging architectural trends in apartment living in capital cities worldwide. Choose the most appropriate information source from the list.

Plans of current apartment developments being undertaken in your city.
Feedback: Although plans of current local developments could be useful, the topic's focus is worldwide so it would need to be supplemented by examples in other cities. Plans of current developments may also not be indicative of emerging trends.
International trade show for the building construction sector – keynote address, "Life in 2030."
Feedback: This source relates to future trends. The topic is focussed on emerging trends. Otherwise, this may have been an appropriate resource.
Photographs of apartment complexes captured during a field trip around your city.
Feedback: Although photographs of current local developments could be useful, the topic's focus is worldwide so it would need to be supplemented by examples in other cities. Photographs of current developments may also not be indicative of emerging trends.
Online magazine article, "What does going green really mean? Global impacts of sustainability on residential design."
Feedback: Correct! This is the best option because it best suits the criteria of the research topic.

Scenario 3
You are researching the evolution of special effects in the film industry. Choose the most appropriate information source from the list.

Movie review from a well-respected film critic.
Feedback: A movie review is subjective and not relevant to this topic.
Transcript of a radio interview with Richard Rickitt, author of Special Effects, and Tyruben Ellingson, who worked on Avatar, who discuss the evolution of special effects in films.
Feedback: Well done! This is the best option. The sources used for the radio interview appear to be qualified and the assignment topic is directly addressed.
A blog where contributors talk about their favourite special effects movies of all time.
Feedback: Blogs can be acceptable sources of information but are only appropriate when the contributors are qualified. In this case the entries are subjective and irrelevant.
A report published in a trade magazine, Beyond 3D – the future of special effects in the film industry, completed by a team from a respected university.
Feedback: This report, although published by a reputable source, refers to the future of special effects, not the evolution.

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