Magazines vs. Journals
Scholarly Vs. Popular Articles -- What is the Difference? - (10.5 min.) This tutorial includes audio and will open in a new window.
Although some people may use these two words interchangeably, there is a distinction. If your instructor has told you that you must use "scholarly journals" or "peer-reviewed journals," she or he wants you to avoid using popular magazines as sources for your paper.
| Popular Magazines |
Scholarly Journals |
| Written for "lay" audience, those who don't have in-depth knowledge of the topic |
Written for "experts" with in-depth knowledge of topic |
| Content aimed at entertainment, opinion, quick facts, current topics |
Contain research studies, analysis, technical information |
| Shorter articles - broad overview of topics |
Longer articles |
| Usually do not cite sources of information |
Includes extensive bibliographies of sources cited in work |
| Author usually a staff writer |
Authors are "experts" usually with credentials listed |
| Evaluated by editors, not experts |
Articles reviewed by a "jury" of experts, often referred to as "peer-reviewed" or "refereed" |
| Examples: Time, Newsweek, Psychology Today, Vogue, Reader's Digest |
Examples: Bioscience, Journal of the American Medical Association |