Scholarly vs. Popular Periodicals: What’s the Difference?

Peer-Review | Types of Periodicals

CHARACTERISTICS OF POPULAR MAGAZINES:

Intended to entertain or inform broad audiences
Articles are not peer-reviewed
Articles do not cite sources or provide a bibliography
Author’s credentials not listed or author is not identified 
No special knowledge required to understand articles
Language is informal, catchy
Photos and graphics create visual interest
Varied page layout and type styles
Brightly colored pages and cover Little or no color
Extensive advertising

CHARACTERISTICS OF SCHOLARLY JOURNALS:

Intended to add to the body of knowledge in a specific field of study
Articles are peer-reviewed before publication
Articles always include extensive notes or a bibliography, or both
Author’s professional or academic credentials listed; a way to contact the author may be provided
Prior knowledge of the subject is usually required to fully understand articles
Language is formal, may use jargon or specialized terms without explanation
Graphics used only when necessary to support the text (such as charts or tables)
Layout is simple and uniform; all articles will follow the same format
Little or no advertising

If you have nothing else to go on, look for footnotes, a bibliography, and the author’s credentials. Also scan the article for signs that it involves research, such as a description of how a study or experiment was conducted, or a review of previous literature on the subject.

PEER-REVIEW: WHAT'S THAT?

Most scholarly journals are PEER-REVIEWED or REFEREED, meaning that articles submitted for publication must be approved by a panel of readers who are considered experts in their fields. Members of the panel read the article independently and recommend that it be accepted, rejected, or revised. Because they are highly selective, peer-reviewed journals are often the most prestigious in their fields.

The masthead or editorial policies for a journal will usually state whether it is peer-reviewed or not; look for this information in the front or back of each issue. A partial list of peer-reviewed journals is available in Ulrich’s International Periodicals Directory, kept in Ready Reference.

A few periodical indexes, such as EBSCO—Academic Search Premier or CINAHL, will let you limit your article searches to peer-reviewed journals only. Ask at the Reference Desk (475-5725) for help limiting your searches this way.

SOME COMMON TYPES OF PERIODICALS

PROFESSIONAL: For members a specific profession, such a teachers, lawyers, or doctors. Contains articles of interest or use in the daily practice of the profession. Examples: Library Journal or NurseWeek

A word to the wise: Distinguishing between professional and scholarly journals is sometimes impossible. JAMA, the Journal of the American Medical Association, is a full-color, glossy publication full of advertising and news-oriented articles for medical professionals; yet it also publishes results from scholarly medical research and is peer-reviewed.

TRADE: For insiders in a particular business or industry. Tracks the most current industry news and developments. Examples: Women’s Wear Daily or Aviation Week

NEWS: Reports on news and current events. Examples: Time or U.S. News and World Report

OPINION & EDITORIAL: Provides opinion and analysis of current issues, focusing on politics, government, and other public affairs. Often represents a particular viewpoint, such as conservative or liberal. Examples: The Nation or National Review

POPULAR/SPECIAL INTEREST: Offers articles of interest to a specific demographic or interest group, such as teens, women, hobbyists, sports fans, etc. Examples: Jet or Sports Illustrated

LITERARY: Publishes fiction, poetry, and other works of literature. Examples: Ploughshares or Poetry Magazine
 

This page last updated on August 10, 2006.