Library Tip # 4
Popular vs. Scholarly Articles
This guide will help you to understand the differences between popular magazines and scholarly journals and will provide you with criteria for differentiating between articles from these sources.
Popular Magazines vs. Scholarly Journals
Criteria
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Popular Magazines
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Scholarly Journals
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Title of publication
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The title is generally one you would find in a grocery or drugstore.
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The title suggest the journal is not written for the general public but instead for professionals in a particular field of study.
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Appearance
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Glossy paper
Pictures and illustrations in color
Heavy advertisements
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Plain cover and paper
Black and white graphics and illustrations
Few or no advertisements
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Purpose
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Report current events
Entertain
Summarize research of general interest
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Report results of research
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Audience
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General population
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Scholars, researchers, and students in a particular field of study
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Content
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Personalities, news, and general interest articles.
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Research projects, methodology and theory
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Authors
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Journalists, many times articles are unsigned
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Researchers and professionals always named.
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Popular Magazines (sample covers):
Time Magazine
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Newsweek
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National Geographic
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U.S News and World Report
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Scholarly Journals (sample covers):
Journal of Black Studies
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Journal of American History
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Journal of Child and Family Studies
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Journal of Urban Studies
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Popular Articles vs. Scholarly Articles
Sometimes you may not be given an entire journal to look at, but instead only the article. Use the criteria below to determine whether or not an article is scholarly.
Criteria
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Popular Magazine Articles
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Scholarly Articles
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Title
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Title often uses everyday language
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Title often uses technical and/or scholarly language.
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Length
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Short
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Long (5+ pages)
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Language
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Everyday language
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Technical or specialized language of a discipline
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Content
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Pictures and advertisements
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An abstract (summary)
Literature review
Description of research methodologies
Results
May include charts, graphs, or diagrams
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Accountability
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Editorial review
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Peer-reviewed / refereed*
Bibliography/citations included
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*Peer reviewed (also known as "refereed") articles are those which have been reviewed by experts in a field before being published in a journal; this policy insures that the research is sound and of high quality.
Scholarly Vs. Popular Periodicals
Video Tutorial by: Peabody Library (Vanderbilt University)
Last Updated: July 13, 2015
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