Popular Magazines
The primary purpose of these periodicals is to produce a profit for the publisher. Examples include Time, Newsweek, and People.
Available for public purchase at stores and newsstands
- As a whole, are designed to persuade, to entertain, and to sell advertised products
- The articles are short and are written to entertain the general public, not necessarily to inform
- Articles may also consist of brief summaries of research done by others
- Articles are seldom footnoted, and the source for the information is rarely provided
- Articles are usually written by freelance writers or members of the magazine's staff
- Articles often are illustrated with color graphics and photographs
- Advertisements are aimed at the general public
Scholarly Journals
The primary purpose of scholarly journals is to inform and to report on original research or experimentation.
- Usually published by a scholarly professional association or university
- Editors are usually scholars in the field with established reputations. Before the editors accept an article for publication, it is first reviewed by scholars or researchers in the field
- Illustrations, if any, are usually graphs or charts, with few color graphics or photographs
- Articles are lengthy and extensively documented, with all references provided in footnotes or end notes
- Authors have conducted research in the field and are usually affiliated with a university or research center; authors' credentials are usually listed at the beginning or at the end of the articles
- Authors write in the language of their discipline
- Readers, usually other scholars or college students, are assumed to have some knowledge of the field and to be familiar with the jargon
- Articles are usually preceded by abstracts (summaries)
- Scholarly journals contain few, if any, advertisements
Used with permission from https://otterbein.libguides.com/Citing/evaluating
