Look for the following characteristics that are usually (but not always) found in scholarly articles:

• The author’s credentials are listed (usually at the beginning or the end of the article).
• The article is based on either original research or authorities in the field (as opposed to personal opinion).
• The article contains a bibliography or list of references.
• The article has been published by a reputable institution.
• The title of the article reflects its content.
• The article contains supporting diagrams or illustrations.
• The article has been organized into at least two of the following sections, especially for scientific articles:
  • Abstract or Summary
  • Introduction or Literature Review
  • Theory or Background
  • Subjects
  • Methods
  • Results
  • Discussion

Simply put, scholarly articles are those written for an academic or professional audience, while popular articles are those intended for a more general readership.

It is important to understand this distinction because instructors will often require that you use only scholarly articles for your research.