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MCOM 3327 (Osei-Hwere): Media Communication Law

Mass Media Law

Is it Scholarly - Communication Source

If you are doing a general search (not limited to scholarly articles) and want to verify the source, click on the title of the article.  Then click on the link to Source/journal name.

It is a scholarly article if the Publcation Type is Academic Journal.

Is it Peer-Reviewed - Using Ulrich's

The Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory is a comprehensive international list of online and print journals, magazines, and newspapers.

You may directly search the title of a "serial" publication in Ulrichsweb to be 100% certain that it is a scholarly journal.

Each publication has a Basic Description about its Serial Type/Content Type.  It is a scholarly journal if it states:

  • Serial type:  Journal
  • Content type:  Academic Scholarly


Peer-reviewed journals are considered the most authoritative of scholarly journals.  The articles are reviewed by experts who specialize in the same scholarly area as the author.  A publication is "peer reviewed" if it states:

  • Refereed:  Yes

As a peer-reviewed journal is also said to be "refereed," it can be identified by the referee uniform icon: 

Searching Ulrich's

  1. Go to the database Ulrichsweb
  2. Type in the name of a publication, such as "quarterly journal of speech".
  3. Click on the green search button.
  4. Click on the title of the publication.

This is a peer-reviewed journal.

  • The serial type is:  Journal
  • The content type is:  Academic Scholarly
  • It is "refereed" (peer-reviewed)

A "trade journal" such as the International Journal of Integrated Marketing Communications may be reputable, but it is not a scholarly journal.

Scholarly Books

  • Safe bet:  published by a university or academic press such as: 
    • Columbia University Press
    • Harvard University Press
    • University of Chicago Press
    • Routledge
    • SAGE Publications
    • Springer
    • Taylor & Francis
  • Maybe:  if it has a bibliography/chapter footnotes
  • Best bet:  verify it with your instructor

Law Reviews

Journals called "Law Reviews" are scholarly.  They are often published by a law school or other legal entity, such as:

  • First Amendment & Media Litigation (American Bar Association)
  • Texas Law Review (University of Texas at Austin School of Law Publications)
  • University of Chicago Law Review