The words scholarly and academic are often used interchangeably. Academic sources:

• Are written by academics who are considered experts on a topic
• Intended for other experts to read
• Based on original research 
• Provide citations for all sources used
• Are usually peer-reviewed by other experts on the topic before being published

To learn more, check out the Find Articles page on this tutorial.

Look for these clues:

• References provided at the end of chapters or the end of the book
• References used are academic sources. Look to see that journals and books are cited rather than popular websites and magazines.
• Uses language that is specific to the discipline. Does it appear that the authors intended their work to be read by other experts? If so, it may be an academic source.
• Expert author with credentials provided. Check the back of the book for information about the author.
• Published by a University press or professional organization 

• Make sure you are using keywords to search
• If your first search doesn't get useful results, try replacing your keywords with synonyms
• Make sure you are using formal language as keywords 
• See the Find Articles page for more help

If you're still stuck, come see a librarian for more help! 

These websites & guides may be useful: 

• APA Style Guide: How do I cite websites? 
• APA style: how to cite something you found on a website