Scholarly articles are peer-reviewed publications written by experts, sharing original research or reviews for an academic audience.
What Are Scholarly Articles?
Scholarly articles are a core part of research in the social sciences. These articles are written by scholars, for scholars. This means they come from people who have studied a topic deeply and want to share what they have learned with others in the academic community. The goal is often to present new research, analyze existing findings, or contribute to academic debates.
These articles usually appear in academic journals. Before they are published, other experts—called peer reviewers—read the article carefully. These reviewers make sure the research is well-designed, the argument is clear, and the results are trustworthy. This review process adds credibility to scholarly work.
In social science research, scholarly articles are especially important because they provide solid, evidence-based information. They often describe how data was collected, what methods were used, and what conclusions were drawn. This allows other researchers to evaluate the study’s quality, repeat the process, or build on the findings.
Key Features of Scholarly Articles
Scholarly articles follow a standard structure. Understanding that structure helps readers know what to look for and how to find key details.
Title and Abstract
The title tells you the main topic. The abstract gives a short summary of the article. It includes the purpose of the study, the methods used, and the major findings. This is helpful when scanning articles to decide if they are relevant to your research.
Introduction
The introduction explains what question the research is trying to answer. It also gives background information and shows how this research fits into what is already known.
Literature Review
Many scholarly articles include a review of past research. This section summarizes what others have discovered on the same topic. It shows how the current study is similar to or different from earlier work.
Methods
The methods section is one of the most important for social science research. It explains how the study was conducted. This includes how participants were chosen, what tools were used, how data was gathered, and how it was analyzed. Clear methods make the study more trustworthy and easier to repeat.
Results
In the results section, the authors share what they found. This section focuses only on reporting the findings, not on what the results mean. It often includes simple numbers or text-based descriptions in social sciences, depending on whether the study is qualitative or quantitative.
Discussion
This section interprets the results. The authors explain what the findings mean, how they relate to other studies, and why they matter. They may also discuss any problems or limits in their research.
Conclusion
In the conclusion, the authors wrap up their key points. They may also suggest areas for future research or explain how the findings could be used in real life.
References
The reference list gives credit to all the sources used in the article. This helps readers find the same materials and shows the article’s connection to past research.
Why Scholarly Articles Matter in Social Science
Social science research relies on evidence. Scholarly articles provide a reliable source of that evidence. Whether studying voting behavior, social norms, education systems, or criminal justice practices, researchers need solid data. These articles offer well-documented examples of studies that others can trust and build upon.
They also support the idea of cumulative knowledge. Each study adds to what we already know. Over time, this builds a deeper and more accurate understanding of society.
Because scholarly articles go through peer review, they are held to high standards. This reduces the spread of false or misleading information. It also encourages researchers to be careful and thorough.
Types of Scholarly Articles
Not all scholarly articles do the same thing. Understanding the types helps readers choose the right article for their needs.
Empirical Articles
Empirical articles present original research. They include detailed methods and results. For example, a sociologist might publish an empirical article on how neighborhood conditions affect crime rates.
Review Articles
Review articles summarize and analyze other studies. They do not present new data but look at patterns across many studies. A political scientist might write a review article on how public opinion influences election outcomes.
Theoretical Articles
These articles explore theories or propose new ways of thinking. They might not include new data, but they are important for shaping how researchers think about issues. For example, a psychologist might offer a new theory about how people form social identities.
Methodological Articles
These focus on research methods. They may introduce a new tool or compare different ways of collecting data. In education research, for instance, someone might write a methodological article on the best ways to measure student engagement.
How to Find Scholarly Articles
You can find scholarly articles in academic journals, both online and in libraries. Common databases include JSTOR, Google Scholar, and EBSCOhost. University students often have free access to these through their schools.
When searching, use keywords related to your topic. Most databases let you filter for peer-reviewed articles only. This ensures you are getting work that has been reviewed by other experts.
Pay attention to the journal’s reputation. Some journals are known for being selective and high-quality. Others may be less reliable. Journals that are indexed in major databases and have clear peer review policies are usually trustworthy.
Using Scholarly Articles in Research
When you conduct your own research, you will likely use scholarly articles in several ways. They help you:
- Understand your topic better
- See how other researchers define key terms
- Learn about past findings
- Find useful methods for your own study
- Support your arguments with evidence
In academic writing, you are expected to cite these articles. This gives credit to the original authors and shows that your ideas are backed by research.
When reviewing articles, think critically. Ask yourself:
- Is the study design strong?
- Are the results clear?
- Do the conclusions match the evidence?
- Were any important factors left out?
These questions help you decide how much weight to give to each article.
How Peer Review Works
One reason scholarly articles are respected is the peer review process. Before an article is published, experts in the field read it closely. They check for errors, unclear writing, or weak arguments. They may suggest revisions or even reject the article.
Peer review helps maintain quality. It also gives readers more confidence in what they are reading. However, peer review is not perfect. Bias can sometimes affect decisions, and not all errors are caught. Still, it remains the best system for ensuring reliable academic work.
Common Challenges with Scholarly Articles
Scholarly articles can be hard to read. They often use technical language and assume the reader knows the field. This can make it tough for beginners.
Also, some articles are behind paywalls. This means you must pay to read them unless you have access through a school or library. Open-access journals help solve this problem by offering free content online.
Finally, the number of articles can be overwhelming. With so many studies published every year, it can be hard to know which ones to read. Learning to search databases well and skim abstracts quickly will save time.
Example from Sociology
Let’s say a sociologist wants to know how working from home affects family life. They find a scholarly article titled “Remote Work and Household Gender Roles During the COVID-19 Pandemic.” The article includes a survey of 1,000 couples. The methods section explains how the survey was designed. The results show that men and women experienced different levels of stress and task-sharing. The discussion compares the findings to past research on gender roles. This article helps the sociologist build their own study or understand trends.
Example from Political Science
A political scientist studying voter behavior might read a scholarly article on how social media affects turnout in local elections. The article might use data from Twitter and voter registration records. It might test whether exposure to political content increases participation. This would be an empirical article, and the methods section would explain how the data was gathered and analyzed.
Example from Education
In education, a researcher might read a review article about the impact of school uniforms on student discipline. The article summarizes 20 past studies and finds mixed results. Some schools saw improvement; others did not. The article also discusses possible reasons for the differences.
Conclusion
Scholarly articles are vital tools for anyone doing social science research. They offer well-researched, peer-reviewed insights that help build knowledge over time. These articles follow a clear structure, use reliable methods, and aim to advance understanding in their field. By learning how to read, find, and use them, researchers can improve the quality of their own work and contribute to meaningful academic conversations.
Glossary Return to Doc's Research Glossary
Last Modified: 03/27/2025