Scholar: A highly educated specialist who conducts research in a particular branch of study.

Periodical: A type of publication produced as an open-ended series at regular intervals, or “periods,” such as daily, monthly, quarterly or annually.

Scholarly/Academic Journal: A type of periodical that includes original research articles written by researchers and experts in a particular academic discipline, providing a forum for the production and critique of knowledge.

Research Article: A formally written article that describes new knowledge or ideas based on original research, analysis and/or interpretation.

Peer Review: The process by which scholars critically evaluate each other's research article before publication in an academic journal.

Editor: An individual who reviews, corrects, and determines the final content of a publication.

Scholarly Communication: "The system through which research and other scholarly writings are created, evaluated for quality, disseminated to the scholarly community, and preserved for future use. The system includes both formal means of communication, such as publication in peer-reviewed journals, and informal channels, such as electronic listservs" (ACRL)