What is an Academic Resource and How to Find One

Academic resources are sources that have been peer-reviewed by experts in the field to ensure its accuracy and quality before being published. Learn how to find them.

What is an Academic Resource and How to Find One

Academic sources, also known as scholarly sources, are sources that can include books, academic journal articles, and published expert reports. The content of these sources has generally been peer-reviewed, meaning that it has been reviewed by experts in the field to ensure its accuracy and quality before being published. When researching a topic for a university assignment, academic sources are preferred over other types of sources, especially when looking for the best IELTS tutors. It is important to make sure that the sources used are peer-reviewed, as this will guarantee that they are of higher quality and are widely accepted in your field. For graduate school applicants in London, combining rigorous academic standards with the Academic sources, also known as scholarly sources, are sources that can include books, academic journal articles, and published expert reports. The content of these sources has generally been peer-reviewed, meaning that it has been reviewed by experts in the field to ensure its accuracy and quality before being published. When researching a topic for a university assignment, academic sources are preferred over other types of sources, especially when looking for the best IELTS tutors. It is important to make sure that the sources used are peer-reviewed, as this will guarantee that they are of higher quality and are widely accepted in your field. For graduate school applicants in London, combining rigorous academic standards with the best GRE Tutoring in London ensures comprehensive preparation—pairing credible research skills with expert test strategies for quantitative reasoning, verbal analysis, and analytical writing.

The best way to find academic sources is to physically go to the university library, if possible. Alternatively, you can also find reliable academic sources online with the help of Profs online essay tutors.This usually only happens in high-quality journals and university publishers, although many other reputable publishers that usually publish educational and academic texts also have a peer-review process. The first search results also usually indicate whether they currently work or have worked as academics at a university, which is another way of knowing that their work is reputable. Academics often advise their first-year students to use the library as the only source of reference for their essays and assignments until they have a solid understanding of the types and quality of sources that are acceptable to their discipline. It is always a good idea to check with your teacher or tutor first if they are okay with you using non-academic sources. In some cases, you may find the work of an academic published on a separate website, such as his blog. The best way to find academic sources is to physically go to the university library, if possible. Alternatively, you can also find reliable academic sources online with the help of Profs online essay tutors. This usually only happens in high-quality journals and university publishers, although many other reputable publishers that usually publish educational and academic texts also have a peer-review process. The first search results also usually indicate whether they currently work or have worked as academics at a university, which is another way of knowing that their work is reputable. Academics often advise their first-year students to use the library as the only source of reference for their essays and assignments until they have a solid understanding of the types and quality of sources that are acceptable to their discipline. It is always a good idea to check with your teacher or tutor first if they are okay with you using non-academic sources. In some cases, you may find the work of an academic published on a separate website, such as his blog.

Sources such as newspaper articles, magazine articles, opinion articles and websites are usually not academic, although there are some exceptions. Once you have acquired these skills, you can safely access the Internet and ensure that you don't jeopardize your grades or the quality of your research by relying on inappropriate or inaccurate non-academic sources. Unfortunately, many students are still confused about what exactly an academic source (or an academic source) is and how best to find one. In your first year at university, your professors and tutors will likely tell you several times to make sure that you only use academic sources in your essays. There may be cases in which it is acceptable to use a non-academic source, but these will be special cases and are more common in some academic disciplines than in others.

In this case, it is probably an opinion piece rather than research, which would mean that it is not an academic source.

Dr. Serena Aldwyn
Dr. Serena Aldwyn

Dr. Serena Aldwyn is an academic researcher and former university librarian with over seventeen years of experience helping students navigate scholarly sources, research databases, IB academic resources, and higher-education support systems. With a doctorate in Information Science and a postgraduate qualification in International Education, she has worked across UK and international universities training students, teachers, and advisors in research literacy, digital scholarship, academic integrity, and the critical evaluation of sources. Serena has contributed to curriculum design for IB programmes, collaborated on initiatives promoting intercultural understanding and global citizenship, and advised postgraduate students on advanced literature review methods for dissertations and capstone projects. Her work bridges the worlds of academic advising, information science, and digital pedagogy, making her uniquely equipped to explain what counts as an academic resource, how to find reliable sources, and how students can use research tools to think more critically and creatively. Her writing style blends warmth, clarity, and scholarly precision, helping learners at every level build confidence in their academic abilities.