Understanding Scholarly Articles and How to Cite Them in MLA

Research papers that are written by professionals are called scholarly articles. Scholarly articles are research papers written by experts to provide knowledge to other researchers and students. They are published in academic journals and are topic-oriented. These articles are informative, factual, and analytical, and they support new ideas or discoveries.

It is important to reference scholarly articles in a proper manner in academic work. It is a sign of respect to the work of the authors, credit, and the ability to refer the readers to the original source. Citations are coherent and easy to read using the MLA format.

In this guide, you will learn:

• What is a scholarly article, and how is it different from other articles?
• Key characteristics of scholarly articles. 
• The proper way to refer to them in the MLA style. These points will assist you in using academic articles in research, writing, and teaching. The effective use of citations would also make your work more reliable and professional. 

What Is a Scholarly Article

A research paper written by professionals in a field is a scholarly article. It disseminates new findings, analyses, or ideas to other researchers and students. These articles are found in educational journals and are reviewed before they can be published.

Some of the most important facts regarding scholarly articles: 

• Written by professionals: Most authors are typically professionals with degrees or research backgrounds in the topic. 
• Research: Researches are experiments, surveys, or analysis. 
• References sources: Authors refer to other works to prove their work. 
• Peer-reviewed: The article is reviewed by other experts who ensure that it is accurate before it is published. 
• Focused topic: Every article is a detailed study of a question or a problem.

Scholarly articles are different from news articles or blog posts. They are evidence-based, adhere to rigid formats, and are aimed at scholars. Researchers, teachers, and students use them as a way of supporting arguments, obtaining reliable information, and keeping up with the field. Knowing how to make an article scholarly will help you select the correct sources to use in research, write well, and refer to other sources in the MLA format.

Features of Scholarly Articles

• Credibility of the author: The author is an expert or a researcher with knowledge in the topic. 
• Abstract: A brief overview of the work, the way it was conducted, and the results in the opening. 
• Introduction and research question: Provides an explanation of what the article studies and why it is important. Methodology: Provides the description of how the research was carried out, whether it was by experiment, survey, or analysis. 
• Results and discussion: Gives results and explains the meaning of the results. 
• References or bibliography: This is a list of the sources that the authors relied on to help their work. 
• Peer review: Verified by other professionals prior to publication in order to be accurate and credible. 

These characteristics distinguish scholarly articles as compared to news or blog postings. They present trustworthy data, robust evidence, and adhere to regulations that assist researchers in having faith in the material. Understanding these main features will enable you to select the appropriate articles to work on a research, write better papers, and properly reference the sources with MLA formatting.

How to identify Scholarly Articles

Learning how to recognize academic articles will enable you to select quality sources of research. Not all articles found on the internet are academic-fit. 

The main methods of identifying scholarly articles are: 

• Expertise of the author: Determine whether the author has degrees or research experience in the area. 
• Type of journal: Find peer-reviewed or academic journals, but not magazines or blogs. 
• Abstract and structure: The scholarly articles consist of an abstract, introduction, methods, results, and discussion. 
• Reference: The sources used in reliable articles have a reference list or bibliography. 
• Language and tone: The language is formal, specific, and free of personal opinions. 
• Peer review: The articles that are reviewed by other scholars prior to publication show credibility. 
• Database resources: Google Scholar, JSTOR, PubMed, or academic library databases can be used to retrieve correct results. 

Make sure that you check these points. It will save you time, and you will know that you are researching material you can trust. The articles you use make your work sound stronger, your arguments appear more justified, and your work becomes credible. Using scholarly articles in MLA style is a way of giving credit to the author, and this makes the reader get the original work.

Key points for MLA citations

• Name of the author: You should begin with the surname and then add the first name. 
• Article Title: Place quotation marks around an article title. 
• Journal name: Italicize the title of the journal. 
• Volume and issue: Include the volume and issue number where possible.
• Year of publication: You can place the year either in parentheses or right after the journal’s name.
• Page numbers: Add the page numbers where the article appears. 
• DOI or URL: in case it has DOI, use it. If not, include the stable URL. 

Two main parts in MLA: 

• In-text citation: Within your text, you should briefly mention the author and page number in parentheses. 
• Works Cited entry: At the end of your paper, make sure to give all the details so that the article can be found. 

This ensures that your research is concise, professional, and verifiable using these basics. Correct MLA references will eliminate plagiarism, and your academic work will be credible.

In-Text Citation in MLA

The in-text citations indicate where readers source your information, which you have provided during the writing process. They are brief sources that are embedded within your text. The most important aspects of MLA in-text citation include: 

• Author name: The name of the author should be included in parentheses using the last name of the author. 
• Add page number: In case it is provided, add the page number after the name. 
• Insert at the end of the sentence: Insert citation preceding the period. 
• Multiple Authors: If there are two authors, list both of their last names. If there are three or more, write the first author’s last name and then add ‘et al.’
• No page number: In case there is no page number, simply use the last name of the author. 

Examples:

• One author: (Smith 45) 
• Two authors: (Johnson and Lee 102) 
• Three or more authors: (Brown et al.) 

The proper use of in-text citations makes your work credible. It allows readers to have a look at the sources and track your research. At the end, always have a full Works Cited list to go along with these citations. 

Works Cited Entry in MLA

A Works Cited record contains all the information regarding the sources that you utilized. It provides the readers with a chance to locate the original scholarly article with ease. 

Important facts in MLA Works Cited include:

• Author name: Write the last name first, then the first name.
• Article title: Use quotations. 
• Journal name: Capitalize the title of the journal. 
• Volume and issue: Add the volume number and the issue number. 
• Publication year: state the year of the publication of the article. 
• Page numbers: Include the pages that the article addresses. 
• DOI or URL: Use the DOI when known; otherwise, add the stable URL. 

Example of a Works Cited entry:

Gahan, Courtney. “How to Cite a Journal Article in MLA | Format & Examples.” Scribbr, 16 Apr. 2019, https://www.scribbr.com/mla/journal-citation/.

Ensure that there is a matching Works Cited record to each in-text citation. Such uniformity makes your research understandable and authentic. Well-formatted work also indicates that your work is academically formatted.

Why Scholarly Articles Matter in Research

Scholarly articles form the backbone of academic research. They offer trustworthy information, evidence, and analysis that guide researchers in making informed decisions.

Key reasons they matter:

• Credible information: Articles are authored by specialists and undergo peer review, and therefore, the information is credible. 
• Support arguments: The data and evidence of articles can be used by researchers to support their ideas. 
• Avoid misinformation: Your sources of learning are scholarly and which minimizes the chances of providing inaccurate or unverified information. 
• Stay updated: Scholarly articles share the newest research and discoveries in a field.
• Knowledge: Having appropriate sources proves that one knows what he is talking about and enhances the research quality. 

The accuracy and reliability of research papers are enhanced by using scholarly articles. Proper citation of them in the MLA format also acknowledges the authors and gives the reader a chance of verifying sources. These articles can be used to assist the researchers, professors, and students in developing work that is clear, credible, and of value to the academic community. 

Conclusion

One of the important components of research is scholarly articles. They offer proper information, facts, and discussion, which aid the students, professors, and researchers in making informed decisions. 

Key takeaways: 

• Definition: Scholarly articles are composed by professionals and are published in scholarly journals. 
• Features: The features involve abstracts, methods, results, and references are usually peer reviewed. 
• Identification: Find the author credentials, type of journal, structure, references, and peer review. 
• MLA reference: Both in-text citations and Works Cited provide credit to the author and enable the reader to authenticate sources. 
• Significance: The scholarly articles will enhance the research, prevent misinformation, and provide valid academic research. 

Correct usage of such articles enhances the quality of research and writing. The use of MLA format makes it understandable and professional. Being able to recognize, apply, and reference scholarly articles will make your writing credible and authoritative in scholarly publications. 

FAQ’s

1. What makes an article scholarly?

A scholarly article is composed by professionals and presented in a professional journal. It incorporates studies, evidence, references, and in many cases, undergoes a peer review process to make it accurate.

2. Can a magazine article be scholarly?

Most magazine articles aren’t considered scholarly. While scholarly articles focus on research and analysis, magazines usually share news, opinions, or general information.

3. How do I cite a scholarly article in MLA?

To cite a scholarly article in MLA, use the surname of the article author, the title of the article in quotation marks, the journal name in italics, the volume and issue numbers, the year of publication, page numbers, and the DOI or URL. You must also include in-text citations as well as a complete Works Cited page at the end of your paper.

4. Where do I find scholarly articles?

Scholarly articles can be found in databases such as Google Scholar, JSTOR, PubMed, or your academic library. Make sure to check the journal type, the authors’ credentials, and the article’s structure to confirm it’s scholarly.

5. Why are scholarly articles important in research?

Scholarly articles matter because they offer reliable evidence and data. They help you avoid misinformation, support your arguments, and improve the overall quality of your research. Citing them correctly in MLA format also gives credit to the original authors and makes your work more professional.