Gerontology: Use Scholarly Articles

What are Scholarly Articles?

Scholarly articles are articles typically published in academic journals that are written by subject experts in the field. Scholarly articles are published in journals and typically undergo a rigorous process called peer review before they are made available to students and researchers. Scholarly articles can also sometimes be called academic journal articles and peer reviewed articles: all of these terms mean the same thing. 

Often, students will use library databases to locate digital copies of scholarly articles. You may also find them online using a search engine or in an open access journal. 

Use the boxes below to learn more about using academic sources in your Gerontology classes. 

Tips for Reading Scholarly Articles

This video demonstrates a strategy for reading scholarly articles and explains the utility of the various sections (abstract, introduction, results, discussion and references). Note that the subject used in the video is cyberbullying, but that the techniques for approaching an article are the same for gerontology. (Length: 5:10)

Peer Review Explained

This short video will help you understand what the words "peer reviewed" mean and the role of peer review in scholarly communication. (Length: 3:15)  

John Oliver on Scientific Studies

Comedian John Oliver offers this commentary on how scientific studies make their way into the popular imagination--often via news and talk shows--and how misleading the reporting on science can be. Note that this video contains mature content. (Length: 19:26)