Databases will show you results of all of it's contents related to your search term. Some of these may be only Abstracts, which is only a summary of the articles. Be sure to check the Full-Text filters in the databases to weed out Abstracts and provide ONLY full-text articles.
A giant database that covers a wide range of topics. Use it to find peer-reviewed scholarly articles, as well as articles from trade journals, newspapers, and magazines.
A great resource for writing assignments. Browse a wide list of subject categories from the database’s home page to find articles and information from scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, and multimedia. Content is provided in the fields of biology, chemistry, criminal justice, economics, environmental science, history, marketing, political science, psychology, and more. Includes Gale’s visual Topic Finder tool.
Scholarly |
Non-scholarly |
|
Content |
Detailed report of original research or experiment, lengthy report of an original application of an arts or humanities concept | Secondary report or discussion may include personal narrative, opinion, anecdotes. |
|---|---|---|
Author |
Author's credentials are given, usually a scholar with subject expertise. | Author may or may not be named; often a professional writer; may or may not have subject expertise. |
Audience |
Scholars, researchers, students. | General public; the interested non-specialist. |
Language |
Specialized terminology or jargon of the field; requires prior knowledge. | Vocabulary in general usage; understandable to most readers. |
References/Bibliography |
Required. All quotes and facts can be verified. | Rare. Scanty, if any, information about sources. |
Examples |
Research study, lengthy academic discussion of an arts or humanities concept, research review article | Editorial, news, book/film review, letters, highlights |
1. Read the abstract first - it tells you what the article is about and helps you decide if it makes sense for your assignment
2. Next, read the introduction and discussion/conclusion - covers the main argument, hypothesis/ purpose of the article; take notes about how you can use the information
3. Read about the Methods or Methodology. (Skimming is okay.) - jot down the type of research the authors used - survey? study? etc AND if the research is qualitative (describes something) or quantitative (measures something)
4. Read the results and analysis (may be called "conclusion" or "discussion")
5. Skim the author's References or Works Cited List
If you prefer, check out the short video below about what to look for in a scholarly article.
