Scholarly or Popular: Which Approach is Best for Your Writing?

By Kellee Boag

Module 1: Content Connections

Scholarly resources are often required in academia because they are peer-reviewed. According to our text, Evaluating Resources," their purpose is to advance scholarship in the field by publishing in-depth research studies." They undergo a rigorous process to be endorsed by experts in the area. (Walden University, Section 1, para. 1)  The experts analyze the information and determine whether it is a valid resource. Scholars write journals for students, scholars, and researchers.   The language in academic journals is generally technical and assumes that the audience has an educational background. They cite sources that provide literature reviews and methodologies.  

According to the Academic Guide at Walden University," Popular magazines are written to inform or entertain the general public" (Walden University, Section 3, para. 3). The language in popular publications is usually easy to understand. However, they rarely cite sources. They help cover current events or subjects meant to inform the public about sports, celebrities, or the fashion industry. They could be beneficial to build background information for an audience that has yet to gain prior knowledge on the topic. Scholars could also use information from magazines, journals, and blogs to enrich a presentation.  

An important topic in education today is educating English Language Learners. Schools have students enrolling who speak languages from all over the World.   For this reason, I have chosen to research appropriate materials to provide information on this topic. For educators to meet the needs of English Language Learners, they must have knowledge that will support English Language Learners in the classroom. The first resource I evaluated was Perceptions of Teachers towards English Language Learners and Content Accessibility. This article was peer-reviewed and provided results of a study conducted to determine teacher's perceptions of English Language Learners. According to this article, "less than half of the teachers felt prepared to work with English Language Learners." ( Grenz, page 1, Abstract Section) Committees could use this information to address the school's administration to encourage more professional development for teachers. This resource provides authentic information because experts conducted the study.   The authors provided this data for this study in the article, and it received peer reviews. 

Another resource that I evaluated was Best English Language Learners Lessons and Activities. This article provided lessons with strategies and scaffolding to help students who are English Language Learners engage in activities that will improve their fluency. This information would provide teachers with resources and activities to develop classroom lessons. This article would be a helpful resource because it offered classes with built-in student lessons. Most teachers appreciate lessons that they can implement immediately in their classrooms. However, information found in popular articles should be one of many pieces used to make decisions concerning best practices in a school. Teachers can use popular magazines to supplement or enhance an evidence-based program based on statistics proving it is a sound educational practice.  

In conclusion, experts can design a program to support English Language learners by using evidence-based data. Teachers can enrich the program by using resources from popular magazines or journals. It takes a combination of information to develop a successful educational experience.   It is essential to discuss thoughtfully with the school team to provide the best education for English Language l

Learners.

References

Grenz, G., Chitiyo, G., & Fidan, P. (2023). Perceptions of Teachers towards English Language Learners (ELLs) and Content Accessibility. International Journal of Research in Education and Science, 9(3), 823–835.

Restifo, D. (2021). Best English Language Learners Lessons and Activities. Tech & Learning, 

32–36.

Walden University Library. (n.d.). Evaluating resources: https://academicguides.waldenu.edu/library/evaluating/resource-types/journals