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We think the research process looks like this: 

In reality it looks like this, for everyone. It is messy and iterative. It is time consuming and often feels overwhelming. It's both a process and a journey and often, where you start looks different from where you end up. And that's okay.

Articles are published in journals. Journals are collected and indexed in Databases. Databases organize information by subject and can be found at A-Z Databases

What is a scholarly article?

A scholarly article is an article written for an academic audience and most often published in an academic journal. Scholarly articles include peer-reviewed articles and empirical articles. These articles usually document and discuss the results of original research that the author has conducted. They usually have a review of literature previously published on the topic, the methodology used in the study, and what the authors found out. Most scholarly articles are reviewed by a series of experts in the field before publication so that the reader can be reasonably assured the information is credible. 

What is a popular article?

A popular article is an article written for a general audience. It is often found in magazines, newspapers, or websites. They cover current events or summarizes research done by others. The content in these publications is often brief, written in simple language, and often includes pictures and advertisements. Authors are not always named, and sources are not always identified.

When starting a research project, it can be beneficial to explore topics broadly.  Once you've identified a topic you might be interested in, take the time to get to know more. This is called gathering background research. It helps you: 

• Develop familiarity with a topic
• Identify different perspectives and relevant theories
• Identify experts, researchers, and scholars that work in the field  
• Identify specialized terms or jargon that can be used for searches later

Here are some sources of background information to consider:

• Encyclopedias & Handbooks
  • Encyclopedias provide background information on a wide range of subjects. Use the database Credo and Oxford Research Encyclopedias of Education to search in multiple encyclopedias at once. 
  • Handbooks like Sage Knowledge and Routledge Handbook Online provide overviews of research and authoritative guides to theory
• Newspapers & magazines
  • Newspapers and magazines often document the reactions, perspectives and opinions of an event around the time it happened. They can help you learn more about a culture, time period, and provide historical perspective to past events. Here are the databases that SMC owns that contains newspapers.
• Internet
  • Google - Search engines like Google can lead you to information that may or may not be appropriate for your needs. Be critical of the websites you visit. 
  • Wikipedia - Wikipedia is a useful resource to start learning more about a topic and identify major events, theories, scholars, or aspects associated with a particular topic. Use the References and/or Further Readings at the end of an entry to verify information within the article. 

Two questions to ask: 

What kind of source do I need? 

What kind of source am I looking at?