Use the information on this page to compare how scholarly articles are different than other types of articles such as those from newspapers and magazines.
NOTE: A periodical is any type of publication that is published on a recurring or regular basis. Magazines, newspapers, and journals are all periodicals.
| Popular Magazines and Newspapers | Trade, Professional, Industry Periodicals | Scholarly, Academic, Peer-Reviewed, Refereed Journals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Periodical Titles | May have popular words in the title: People Weekly, TV Guide, Time, Rolling Stone |
Titles tend to be short and practical: Metal Construction News, Beverage World, American Libraries, Interior Design |
May have bulletin, journal, or review in the title, but not always: Rehabilitation Counseling Bulletin, American Journal of Occupational Therapy, Annual Review of Nursing Research, Explicator |
| Article Titles | Popular or catchy | Tend to be straightforward; some could be popular and catchy | Related to research question or results; often long and serious |
| Author(s) | Often one author; staff-written or written by journalists, freelance authors, or guest contributors | Often one author; staff-written or written by freelance authors, guest contributors, or professionals in the field | Frequently multiple coauthors; scholars and researchers in the field, discipline, or specialty; authors will have university affiliations or professional titles listed |
| Frequency of Publication | Issued frequently: daily, weekly, biweekly, or monthly |
Issued frequently: weekly, biweekly, or monthly |
Issued less frequently: monthly, quarterly, or semiannually |
| Accountability (not listed) |
Articles are evaluated by editorial staff who are not experts in the field; edited for format and style | Articles evaluated by editors who may be experts in the field; edited for format and style; not peer-reviewed | Articles are evaluated or reviewed by experts in the field; edited for content, format, and style |
*Viewing database articles in PDF format will give you better visual clues as to what type of article you have found.
References:
Teaching Information Literacy 2nd ed. by Burkhardt and MacDonald
Defining Scholarly, Trade, and Popular Sources (LibGuide), Elihu Burritt Library, Central Connecticut State Univ.
| Popular Magazines and Newspapers | Trade, Professional, Industry Periodicals | Scholarly, Academic, Peer-Reviewed, Refereed Journals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract | No abstract. | No abstract. |
Articles will typically have an abstract at the beginning that summarizes the findings of the research presented in the article NOTE: Not all journals will label the beginning summary with the word ABSTRACT. |
| Audience & Writing Style | Written for general, nonexpert readers; uses simple language | Written for workers in a particular industry, professionals, members of a certain trade; language assumes a certain level of specialized knowledge | Written for scholars and researchers in the field; language contains terminology and jargon of the discipline; reader is assumed to have a scholarly background |
| Purpose | Entertainment and general interest; geared to sell products and services through advertising | Examines problems or concerns in a particular profession or industry; provides specialized information to a wide, interested audience | To inform, report, or make available original research or experimentation in a specific field or discipline to the rest of the scholarly world; where "new knowledge" is reported |
| References | Sources are not cited. There will not be a list of references at the end | Sources are typically not cited, but you may find some exceptions | References or sources are listed in the form of bibliographies, reference lists, and footnotes. Look at the end of the article for the reference list or bibliography |
| Length | Short articles | Short articles | Longer articles (3 - 20 pages or more) |
*Viewing database articles in PDF format will give you better visual clues as to what type of article you have found.
| Popular Magazines and Newspapers | Trade, Professional, Industry Periodicals | Scholarly, Academic, Peer-Reviewed, Refereed Journals | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Illustrations, Layout | Eye-catching covers, glossy paper, photos, illustrations, cartoons, sidebars | Eye-catching covers, glossy paper, photos, illustrations, cartoons, sidebars | Plain covers, usually plain matte paper; articles are mostly text, but may have charts, graphs, tables, etc.; very few or no illustrations |
| Advertising | Many ads for products and services | Many ads for products and services related to a particular profession, trade, or industry | Few or no ads |
| Availability | Magazine racks in stores, or newsstands | Usually requires a subscription or access through a library; rarely found in stores or newsstands | Requires a subscription or library access |
The links below take you to examples of different types of articles found in library databases. You will be prompted to enter your myPittCC username and password in order to access the articles if you are off campus.
