HIST 200 Gateway: Religion in American Public Life: Finding Scholarly Research

Scholarly sources are written by experts as a way to communicate their research findings and ideas to other scholars and researchers in the field.  Typically published in books and journals, scholarly sources (also called academic, peer-reviewed, or refereed sources) contain new and original research, while also building on the research of others.  These sources typically undergo a rigorous publication process that includes a peer-review system in which other content experts provide feedback on an article's content and methodology before the article is accepted for publication.

Using scholarly articles can help you:

• Build context around your topic and find evidence to support your arguments or ideas
• Interpret and analyze primary sources or historical events effectively
• Understand the scholarly conversation that already exists on a topic
• Identify other sources or authors that might be relevant to your research
• Develop your skills at assessing research material in the field

It is important to recognize that there is a long history of systemic biases within the scholarly publishing process. Students and scholars should strive to bring diverse voices, viewpoints, and thought into their research, which may require looking beyond "traditional" academic resources – be creative! Less "traditional" source-types can work in conjunction with "traditional" academic literature to add a much deeper level of understanding for your topic and ideas. For suggestions on where to find diverse voices for your topic, reach out to your librarian.

For an example of the peer-review process, check out the Journal of American History (March 1997) – it includes Referees' Reports for Joel Williamson's article, "Wounds Not Scars: Lynching, the National Conscience, and the American Historian."