Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CUREs)

From IUPUI Libraries Introduction to Library Research Guide

Scholarly Publications

• Contain articles written by experts in a particular field and the primary audience for these articles is other experts
• Generally report on original research
• Many of these publications are peer-reviewed
• Scholars in the same field review the research and findings before articles are published
• Written by and for faculty, researchers, or other experts
• Use technical language
• Include a full reference list of sources cited in the article
• Often peer reviewed
• Often aimed at a very specific research area

Books & Book Chapters

• Academic books are edited by an expert or group of experts.
  • Occasionally, but not frequently, peer-reviewed
• Good source for a thorough investigation of a topic
• Written by a variety of authors depending on subject matter
• Language can very according to subject matter
• Likely to include an overview of research or issues related to its topic

From Berkeley, Scrutinizing Science: Peer Review

Conference Proceedings 

• Compilations of papers, research, and information presented at conferences
• Sometimes peer-reviewed
• Often the first publication of research that later appears in a scholarly publication
• More commonly encountered (via databases and other searching) in science and engineering fields than in the arts and humanities.  

Government Documents

• Disseminated by the Government Printing Office (GPO)
• All three branches of the government to federal depository libraries
• The many departments of the government publish reports, data, statistics, white papers, consumer information, transcripts of hearings, and more
• Some of the information is technical and scientific, other information is meant for the general public

Theses and Dissertations

• The result of an individual student's research while in a graduate program
• Written under the guidance and review of an academic committee but are not considered peer-reviewed

Popular Magazines

• Can help introduce a topic and as well as how that topic is being discussed.
• Written by professional writers for a general audience
• Use language is easy for the layperson to understand
• Fact-checked through the editorial process of the publication they appear in
• Usually no reference list/li>
• Often helpful to read when you don't know a lot about the topic yet
• May contain an opinion, argument, or analysis of an issue

Trade Journals

• Written by and for practitioners/workers in a field (nurses, teachers, social workers, etc
• Focused on a specific field
• Not intended to be "scholarly" but rather to communicate news and trends
• Use the language (and jargon) of the field