LibGuides: Types of Sources: Scholarly Journals

Distinguishing between sources when you're searching in FRCC Discovery or the databases can be trickier than when you're looking at a print or web version. Limiters can help, but here are some tips to help you determine the type of source you're viewing. Keep in mind the examples below do not reflect the variety of database interfaces available.

Is it a scholarly journal?

What to look for:

Both an article and journal title,
Volume and issue numbers,
Long, usually 6+ pages,
Labeled as peer-reviewed,
Article often includes sections called Introduction, Methods, Results, and Discussion,
Usually has a DOI number.

When viewing in FRCC Discovery:

Look for the source type above the article title. In the case of scholarly journals, Discovery calls them "academic journal." It likely will also have a sunburst icon with the text Peer reviewed. The publication name is listed in the field "Published in." When you open an article by clicking on its title, at the very bottom of the article information is the DOI (digital object identifier; to help other people find this article in case the link changes).

When viewing in a database, such as Academic Search Premier:

On your search results page, look for the source type in the filters in the left-hand menu. Source Types includes Academic Journal.

If you're not sure what source type you're looking at:

Go to a search engine like DuckDuckGo or Google and search for the source's name. If an information card or Wikipedia entry doesn't come up, look for the journal website and review their editorial processes and membership requirements.
For example, searching for the American Historical Review in the search engine DuckDuckGo, an information card comes up describing it as an academic journal.

The American Historical Review journal website describes the process for submitting a manuscript for publication, who is on their editorial board, and how they judge submissions for value and contributions to the field. This submissions information lends credibility to the journal as a rigorous, academic source, rather than just a "pay-to-publish" source.