Publishers of magazines, newspapers, and journals write and market their material for many different audiences. Being aware of these differences helps you select the most appropriate sources for your research needs.
In addition to the Scholarly and Popular types charted below, there are:
Trade/Professional Journals
Written for and by people in specific industries or professions.
Examples:Advertising Age Chemical Week Macworld Stereo Review Antiques InfoWorld Chronicle of Higher Education
Newspapers
Written by journalists for immediate news coverage
Examples: New York Times Boston Globe Wall St. Journal Le Monde
| Scholarly Journals | Popular Magazines | |
| Examples | Sociological Review Economic Botany Journal of Asian Studies New England Journal of Medicine |
PC World Newsweek Psychology Today Natural History |
| Value and Uses | Reports of original research In-depth analysis of topics Lengthy, signed articles Statistical information Referred/peer reviewed Substantial book reviews |
Current events and news Brief, factual information Short articles, sometimes signed Interviews Some brief book reviews |
| Language | College-level vocabulary Specialized language of the discipline |
Non-technical vocabulary Often simple language |
| Authors | Researchers, academics, scholars | Journalists |
| Sources | Footnotes and bibliographies Extensive documentation |
Few footnotes Frequently no bibliography |
| Publishers | Professional organizations, universities, research institutes, and scholarly presses | Commercial/trade publisher |
| Graphics | Graphs, charts, and tables Ads are very rare |
Many graphics and photos Many full-page color ads |