Which attribute is least characteristic of scholarly journals?

• A. Peer review
• B. Reference lists
• C. News-style reporting
• D. Abstracts

Answer: (C)

Scholarly journals are built to advance knowledge through carefully vetted research. The hallmarks you’ll typically see are peer review, which subjects findings to critique by experts before publication; reference lists, which document all sources and evidence that support the study; and abstracts, which provide a concise snapshot of the study’s aims, methods, results, and conclusions. News-style reporting, by contrast, focuses on timely information for a general audience and often lacks the rigorous methods, detailed citations, and formal review process that define scholarly articles. Because of that, news-style reporting is the least characteristic feature of scholarly journals.