Research or scholarly articles generally have several characteristics that define them. They:
- Are written by and for academic faculty, researchers, and/or experts
- Use technical or field-specific vocabulary
- Give full bibliographic references (AKA a "Works Cited List")
- Are published mostly in academic journals, with titles like the American Journal of Sociology
- Are generally sober and serious in tone
- May have charts, graphs, and tables but are not glossy and colorful like magazines
- Often report results of research
The most prestigious research articles are "peer-reviewed," meaning they are edited by an expert panel.
