GLBS 2130: Global Studies: Finding Sources

Scholarly journal articles:

• written by experts in the field
• aimed at an informed reader
• followed by a bibliography

Popular magazine articles:

• written by reporters 
• aimed at the general public

There are specific conventions that scholars follow when writing articles, and understanding those conventions can help you read these articles. Because global studies is an interdisciplinary field, you may encounter two different styles of scholarly articles:

• Essays that use logic and analysis of evidence to prove a point/thesis ("humanities-style"). 
• Reports on new research using the scientific method ("science-style").

Hint: If you see sections labeled "Methods" or "Results, it's a science-style article. If instead all section subheadings are based on topics, it's probably a humanities-style article.

In both cases, it helps to have a good reading strategy. The following guides will help you:

• For humanities-style articles: How to read an article in the humanities
• For science-style articles: How to read a scholarly article