ENGL 102 Kirwan

Scholarly sources can be considered primary (if it's an original scientific research study) or secondary (if it's a review of lots of different studies).

A scholarly article...

• is written by an academic or other expert to contribute to knowledge in their field
• is published in a peer-reviewed journal
• contains original research
• usually contains a lot of references/citations
• is written for an audience of other scholars/experts
• is written in a formal tone and uses technical language

3. Find scholarly sources that relate to your research topic or question.

Library databases are the best place to find scholarly sources. These types of sources are expensive and the library pays to provide access to you for free! Databases also have tools to help you narrow your search and find the most relevant results for your topic.

Just remember, you may find sources that aren't an exact fit for your research question--that's ok! An article about the redling and health disparities in a city other than Louisville could still be useful for your research question.

Here's how to connect Google Scholar to the library so you can access articles.

4. Read scholarly sources.

Read what you've found and take notes about how the information addresses your research question. You might need to find more sources if you still have questions, or if new questions arise!