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Sometimes you can tell the difference between a popular magazine and a scholarly journal just by looking at the cover or thumbing through the issue. Sometimes its not that easy. Here are some clues that will help you differentiate between the two. Remember - look closely at articles that you get from online sources to ensure that you are getting the kind of information you need. |
 Scholarly Journal |
 Popular Magazine |
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Length: How Long are the Articles |
Longer articles In-depth analysis and research |
Shorter articles Overviews of subjects & topics |
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Author: Who Wrote the Articles |
Experts or Specialists in a field Name and credentials provided |
Staff writer or journalist |
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Audience: Who Was This Written For |
Written for professors, students,
researchers ... Uses technical language - jargon - of the subject area |
Written for anyone Uses non-technical language |
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Structure: How is the Article Organized |
Usually follows a format: abstract, lit.review, methodology, results, conclusion, bibliography | No specific structure or format |
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Extras: Illustrations, graphs, photos... |
May include tables, graphs, illustrations or photos to support research | Photos and illustrations are used for advertising, entertainment, or decoration |
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Review Process: Editors, Peers, Staff... |
Articles are reviewed by a board of experts in the field. Scholarly journals may be refereed to as "refereed" or "peer reviewed" journals | Articles are usually reviewed by general editors but not evaluated by experts in the field |
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Bibliography: Are facts cited |
Bibliography - works cited - and/or footnotes are provided to support research | A bibliography is usually not provided - references to research may be made within the text |
| Advertising & Fun Stuff | Very little of either | Lots of both |
