Scholarly articles--usually published in journals--usually run between 10 and 30 pages and present the reader with an argument relevant to the field. They are almost always concentrated discussions, which means they can be excellent deep-dives into a subject. If you'd like to start with an overview, look toward a book or an encyclopedia article in reference.
Boston College Libraries subscribes to an impressive array of full text article databases and indices (lists of scholarship on different topics). These different access points have overlapping but not identical coverage. Consider running your searches in multiple different databases. Don't forget that you can also order material through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) if we don't have full text at Boston College.
Need to check whether a journal article is peer reviewed? Check out Ulrichsweb Global Serials Directory. Look up your journal's name and if Ulrichsweb includes a 
symbol, you know it's been peer reviewed (also called "refereed").
For additional recommendations, contact your subject liaison (Dr. Bee Lehman) at brittany.lehman@bc.edu or schedule an appointment with them.
