When conducting research it is important to distinguish between journal articles and magazine articles. Journal articles are typically referred to as "scholarly," while magazine articles are usually considered "popular". A third category, "trade" magazines or journals, are written for professionals in a particular field but are not strictly research related. Below are additional criteria to consider when differentiating between journals and magazines.
| Criteria | Scholarly Journal | Popular Magazine | Trade Magazine/Journal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Content (Accuracy) | In-depth, primary account of originalfindings written by the researcher(s); veryspecific information, with the goal of scholarly communication. | Secondary discussion of someone else's research; may include personal narrative or opinion; general information, purpose is to entertain or inform. | Current news, trends and products in a specific industry; practical information for professionals working in the field or industry. |
| Author (Authority) | Author's credentials are provided; usually a scholar or specialist with subject expertise. | Author is frequently a journalist paid to write articles, may or may not have subject expertise. | Author is usually a professional in the field, sometimes a journalist with subject expertise. |
| Audience (Coverage) | Scholars, researchers, and students. | General public; the interested non-specialist. | Professionals in the field; the interested non-specialist. |
| Language (Coverage) | Specialized terminology or jargon of the field; requires expertise in subject area. | Vocabulary in general usage; easily understandable to most readers. | Specialized terminology or jargon of the field, but not as technical as a scholarly journal. |
| Graphics (Coverage) | Graphs, charts, and tables; very few advertisements and photographs. | Graphs, charts and tables; lots of glossy advertisements and photographs. | Photographs; some graphics and charts;advertisements targeted to professionals in the field. |
| Layout & Organization (Currency) | Structured; includes the article abstract, goals and objectives, methodology, results (evidence), discussion, conclusion, and bibliography. | Informal; may include non-standard formatting. May not present supporting evidence or a conclusion. | Informal; articles organized like a journal or a newsletter. Evidence drawn frompersonal experience or common knowledge. |
| Accountability (Objectivity) | Articles are evaluated by peer-reviewers* or referees who are experts in the field; edited for content, format, and style. | Articles are evaluated by editorial staff, not experts in the field; edited for format and style. | Articles are evaluated by editorial staff who may be experts in the field, not peer-reviewed*; edited for format and style. |
| References (Objectivity) | Required. Quotes and facts are verifiable. | Rare. Little, if any, information about source materials is given. | Occasional brief bibliographies, but not required. |
| Paging | Page numbers are consecutive throughout the volume. | Each issue begins with page 1. | Each issue begins with page 1. |
| Other Examples |
Scholarly Journal
Annals of Mathematics, Journal of Abnormal Psychology, History of Education Quarterly, Almost anything withJournal in the title. |
Popular Magazine
Macean's, Canadian Living, Canadian Geographic, Chatelaine, Alive, Sportsnet, MoneySense |
Trade Magazine/Journal
Architectural Record, PC World, Restaurant Business, Psychology Today, School Band and Orchestra |
