How to Find Good Research Paper Sources: Scholarly or Online

Published by Josh Jasen at April 9, 2024

To write credible and informative research papers, you need to evaluate scholarly, popular, and internet sources to have the best.

You will need to access books, magazines, journal articles, and websites to look for materials to support your research arguments. However, the biggest challenge lies in identifying the acceptable sources for your research work.

Not every review is good for your reading. It would help if you learned how to select good research sources to write informative research papers.

Identically, in your research writing, a credible source means a trustworthy source. You use content with no bias and real facts support it.

What is a Scholarly Source?

A scholarly source is also known as an academic source. Usually, researchers within a subject area write it. It reports on research findings and contains comprehensive in-text citations.

In addition, it lists its references. Remember a good paper should have an optimal number of sources to ensure it is well backed up.

Likewise, it uses specialized terminologies and a formal writing style.

A scholarly source provides the most factual information for your research findings.

Scholarly sources are either written articles, published books, or journal articles. A scholarly book has the following features:

It is written by an author who is an expert in the field of discussion
An academic press publishes it
The text has citations
The content is organized in chapters
It is written in a scholarly tone

You cannot write your research paper without referring to previously publicized works. Looking for such information makes your paper authoritative and credible, thus improving the quality of your research paper.

Characteristics of a Credible Scholarly Source

1. Creator of the Source

For a source to be credible, the writer of the same should be credible. The authors are listed with their credentials and where they practice their specialty.

In websites’ content, some domain names seem more credible than others. For instance, domain names with .edu, .org, and .gov are usually trustworthy.

2. Peer Review

A good research source should be peer-reviewed by scholars in the field for accuracy and credibility.

In most cases, databases will let you limit your search results to scholarly, peer-reviewed articles.

Experts in the field assess a good scholarly source before its publication.

An author’s work faces rejection or correction If it does not reach publication standards.

A peer-reviewed article contains the author’s details, including the organization they work for—secondly, an abstract summarizing the key points. Thirdly, evidence of research findings, in-text citations, and a reference list.

A peer-reviewed book contains the author’s name, an expert in their fields, and the publisher’s name. In addition, it should have a table of content and provide in-depth subject information.

3. Contains an Abstract and Headings

A scholarly content contains an abstract which is a summary of its findings. The abstract is at the beginning of the article.

The author should organize the content in subheadings to help the reader understand.

4. Have Citations, a Scholarly Tone, and is Up-to-date

Academic content must have citations thought the piece. Furthermore, a good scholarly source should be up to date.

You might want to check with your teacher how up-to-date an article is, but generally, it is ideal to refer to content between 5 and 10 years old from its publication date.

Where to Find Scholarly Sources

It will be easier to know where to look for scholarly information when you learn how to select good research sources.

Publications from Professional Organizations

A group of professionals creates a professional publication and tailors it to its members’ interests.

Correspondingly, professional journals usually present news and analysis reviews and comments of interest to specific members.

You can easily access professional publications by searching for the specific industry you want. For example, “trade journals”, “economic journals” etc.

Specific Databases that Contain only Scholarly Sources

These are online library databases where you find scholarly sources. To get what you are looking for, before starting, make sure you have created a research question. Continue to break it down into keywords

Use Databases that Allow you to Click on Peer-Reviewed Journals

Some databases have an option that allows you to search for peer-reviewed content. This limits your search. In other databases, you choose “advanced” or “expert” searches to narrow down your focus.

Evaluate Journals in different Databases using the Outlined Criteria

When writing your essay, create a research guide on the features of scholarly articles, areas on where to find them, and how to recognize them.

Some findings may assist you to have a good understanding of your topic, but the same can be unacceptable if you reference it. Look out for their primary source of data to reference it instead.

Reliable Websites to use as Essay Sources

Not all websites containing academic content is scholarly website. For this reason, you need to determine the credibility and reliability of your source.

For a credible webpage, ensure:

The domain of the page is .edu or .gov
Seek to know who is publishing or sponsoring the website
Look for contact information for the publisher or the author
Know how up-to-date the content is and has no bias
How relevant is the content, and how does it fit your topic.

Your website is scholarly if it meets the following three features:

Its source

A scholarly website if you found the article in Google Scholar or a library database. In addition, the piece should be peer-reviewed.

The Authors

The authors give their credential information in scholarly content. Furthermore, the authors show their affiliation to a research institute or a higher learning institution.

The Content

Scholarly content is usually more than five pages long. In addition, the content is an in-depth analysis with good citation and a reference.

Scholarly content does not attempt to persuade or give a biased report. However, in instances it persuades or is biased, it discusses the topic objectively with well-supported arguments.

Types of Websites not to use for Information for Essay Writing

There are websites you should never refer to when writing your research paper. This means their content is not credible.

An unreliable source can result in discrediting your results.

You are most likely to report nonfactual and expired information.

The following five features outline the websites not to use for information gathering for your essay:

1- The writers

Anybody who is a writer writes and edits these web pages. Unlike a credible source, the author here can be a professional writer, member of the public, or a journalist.

2-Audience

The intent of this content is not experts in a particular field, but the general public consumes it. For instance, you cannot rely on posts on social platforms since they are not credible.

3-Language

The tone of these web pages is easy. Similarly, It doesn’t have any field jargon, and it is easy to understand. The language is very basic and clear.

4-In text Citations

For essay writing, do not use a webpage with no citations. A non-scholar page doesn’t have the citation for sources, or it provides informal citations.

5-Peer Review

Unlike a scholarly paper, the publishing editor only reviews these papers, or usually, they are self-published. There is no formal review process before publication. Besides, you don’t need peer review.

Mainly select the websites ending in .com, .org, or .net fall in this category.

FAQs on Reliable Essay Sources

Can I use an encyclopedia for the research paper

Encyclopedias are good places to start your research on a given topic. However, they are not the only place available to look for information. They are great providers of background information.

Most teachers recommend academic sources to write your essays and other research work. By using encyclopedia information, you look like someone who has not done in-depth reading and research.

Is CNN a reliable source for essays or research papers?

No resource is the perfect solution for every academic essay. You pick your choice for its contextual relevance and reliability.

Depending on the essay topic and your instructor’s rules, you can cite CNN. Notably, academic writings require academic sources.

Usually, CNN will publish data that is yet to be published anywhere else. They give their own survey data, which could be useful to some of your research writings.

Is Wikipedia a reliable source for writing essays?

Although not accepted for research, Wikipedia will help you get a feel for your topic. To benefit from the information available on Wikipedia and reference it, look for the works cited.

You will find the primary sources authored by experts in your field of preference on the bibliography. Wikipedia is preferred since it is free to access and easier to use.

Teachers prefer specialized sources, not generalized content.

Is Britannica a reliable scholarly source?

Technically no. Britannica is a general knowledge platform. In writing your research paper, you are to use up-to-date and reliable information which is found on some sites. Britannica is seldom up-to-date, and it is a tertiary source that reports what others have already said.

Britannica is edited by a team of editors, unlike scholarly content that is peer-reviewed by experts. However, it is a good place to begin your research as it helps you understand some basics.

Josh Jasen

When not handling complex essays and academic writing tasks, Josh is busy advising students on how to pass assignments. In spare time, he loves playing football or walking with his dog around the park.