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STARTING POINTS: Research Materials

Scholarly vs. Popular Publications

Many general databases list articles from publications like popular magazines, major newspapers and scholarly/academic journals.

What is the difference between a scholarly or academic source and a popular publication?

Consider Scholarly Popular   Type of Publication? Academic journal (peer-reviewed) General interest magazine Author? Expert on topic Journalist or amateur or professional writer Audience? Scholars and students of the journal's discipline or particular subject area General public Goal? To inform/update Often to entertain Citations? Peer-reviewed articles must include footnotes and bibliography as evidence to support argument(s) No formal citation, though may use journalistic citation style Writing level? Academic; often includes scholarly language, jargon 7-10th grade level; language is familiar Article length? Often longer than articles in popular publications Usually short; 1-3 pages Frequency of Publication? Generally, quarterly Generally, weekly or monthly Time lag (currency)? Peer reviewed articles: 6 months+ from submission date of manuscript Very current Graphics? Used to illustrate a point; charts, tables, statistics Used for visual impact Advertisements? Limited or none Many glossy advertisements Examples: Anthropology and Education Quarterly; Journal of Abnormal Psychology People Weekly; Newsweek; PC Magazine

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