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Scholarly, Trade, Opinion, or Popular?
A Guide to Distinguishing among Articles in Scholarly Journals,
Trade Journals, Opinion Magazines, and Popular Magazines
It can sometimes be difficult to determine if an article has been published in a
peer-reviewed journal, particularly in an online environment, where there may be fewer clues. While each publication is unique, certain types of periodicals do share common features. For
help in identifying which articles are scholarly and which articles are popular, consult the table below,
check some of the specialized reference resources listed, or contact a reference librarian for help.
Criteria for Evaluating Periodical Publications
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SCHOLARLY JOURNALS |
TRADE & PROFESSIONAL JOURNALS |
OPINION MAGAZINES |
POPULAR MAGAZINES |
| Article Content |
Original research, in-depth studies, reviews of scholarly books;
articles usually contain abstracts |
Industry or field-specific news, product reviews, forecasts and
trends, book reviews |
Social and political commentaries, interviews, opinion pieces, book reviews |
News of current events or popular culture, interviews; broad coverage of topics |
| Article Authors |
Scholars, academics, researchers; authors are always named |
Professionals, practitioners, some journalists |
All types: academics, journalists, politicians; authors are often paid for their work |
Usually journalists and free-lance writers; authors are not always named; most authors are paid for their work |
| Documentation |
Sources are always cited using footnotes or parenthetical
references and bibliographies |
May include citations |
May include citations |
Citations and bibliographies are rare |
| Article Length |
Long |
Medium to long |
Medium to long |
Short |
| Audience |
Scholars, academics, researchers |
Members of a trade, profession, business, or industry |
Educated readers |
General public |
| Language |
Discipline-specific, sophisticated, technical |
Technical jargon |
Non-technical language |
Non-technical language |
| Publisher |
Academic presses, scholarly associations |
Trade associations |
Non-profit organizations or commercial publishers |
Commercial publishers |
| Graphics |
May contain charts, graphs, or (in the sciences) photographs or illustrations that support the text |
Photographs, illustrations, tables, and charts (often glossy) |
May be heavily illustrated |
Many eye-catching photographs and illustrations that have marketing appeal; usually glossy |
Advertisements
(print versions) |
Few in number; usually from academic publishers or scholarly associations |
May include glossy ads |
Often have glossy ads |
Many full-colour, glossy ads for consumer products |
| Examples |
Journal of Abnormal Psychology, Modern Language Quarterly, Nature |
Advertising Age, Architecture, Publishers Weekly |
Dissent, The Nation, National Review, New Republic |
Psychology Today, Scientific American, Time, U.S. News & World Report |
What is a Peer-Reviewed Journal?
Unlike a popular magazine, a peer-reviewed or "refereed" journal does not
maintain a staff of writers. Instead, the journal editors require authors to submit drafts of articles
for consideration. These drafts are then reviewed by experts in the field who evaluate the articles and recommend that
they be revised, accepted for publication, or rejected. In considering articles
for publication, reviewers assess the quality of authors' research as well as
their contribution to scholarship. This rigorous "peer review" process ensures
that scholarly articles are of high quality.
Reference Tools for Identifying Peer-Reviewed Journals
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