Scholars and researchers use different methodologies to explore questions and phenomenon, resulting in a variety of scholarly sources that contribute to broader knowledge creation. This page outlines common types of scholarly articles, although they can vary across disciplines.
Empirical studies use research derived from experiments and observation using quantitative methods, qualitative methods, or both. To identify empirical studies, look for sections that include the methodology used, the results of the study, and an analysis of the results.
Case studies are an in-depth study of a specific subject in its real world context.
A systematic review asks a highly specific question and collects information from relevant scholarly articles. Part of the criteria of doing a systematic review is establishing methods for what counts as relevant and ultimately included in the study.
Meta-analyses are a type of statistical analysis where the results of multiple studies are combined and analyzed.
Theoretical articles can promote new theories and understandings or critique existing theoretical frameworks.
Literature reviews can appear as a distinct scholarly article or as a section within other types of scholarly articles. Literature reviews summarize existing research to provide a background, identify gaps, and overall state of available information on a given topic.
Scoping reviews aim to map out available literature and identifying any gaps. Scoping reviews are usually broader in scope and exploratory in nature than systematic reviews which aim to ask a highly specific question. Similar to systematic reviews, scoping reviews also determine specific process for which relevant studies to include in their review.
Not everything that is published in peer-reviewed journals are scholarly articles. Often book reviews, letters to the editor, comments on previously published articles, conference proceedings, dissertations, and standards are published in scholarly journals. These are typically short and not considered scholarly.
