CMST 283: Intro to Rhetorical Studies (Gaffey)

Terms to Know

  • Scholarly sources: publications intended for an academic audience
  • Peer-review: a formal process in which works are evaluated by fellow experts in a field prior to publication
  • Popular sources: publications intended for a general public audience

It's important to understand the differences between popular and scholarly sources. As noted in your syllabus, "Popular sources derive from qualified authors, published with editorial oversight on a public platform, and are written with a goal of educating general public interest." Scholarly sources are typically provide in-depth, narrow analysis of a specific topic in a discipline, published in peer-reviewed academic journals, and written by scholars. Use this page to explore the differences between these types of sources.

What are some characteristics of scholarly sources?

Scholarly sources generally share the following characteristics:


Purpose		 To advance knowledge in a field of study, often in the form of original research or analysis

Format		 Journal articles, books, book chapters

Authors		 Experts in the field, such as professors, scientists, etc.

Language		 Text-heavy, with advanced language and terminology from the discipline

Sources		 Includes citations and a bibliography, works cited, or references list

What are some characteristics of popular sources?

Popular sources generally share the following characteristics:


Purpose		 To entertain, inform, or persuade depending on audience

Format		 Periodicals like newspaper or magazines and some websites

Authors		 Written by journalists or staff writers and reviewed by an editor

Language		 Easy to understand language that's intended for the general public

Sources		 Refers to sources through quotes or links, but does not list references