Is It a Scholarly Journal or a Magazine?

Follow the criteria column in the chart below to help you determine the characteristics of different types of  periodicals.  Remember to consult with your instructor about the type of sources appropriate for your particular assignment.

Periodical Type	Scholarly Journals (also known as Academic, Peer-Reviewed, or Refereed)	Professional & Trade Periodicals	Popular & Special Interest Magazines
Criteria
Purpose	To inform, report, or make available original research. In-depth analysis of issues related to the discipline. Includes information on conferences.	Written for practitioners, discusses current trends, news & products in a specific field. Includes employment & career information.	Designed to entertain or persuade. Short articles deal with current events or hot topics.
Format	Lengthy articles with abstracts, methods, results, conclusions, and bibliography. May be published quarterly.	Articles medium in length. May include statistics and forecasts. Often published monthly.	Articles usually fairly short, providing broad overviews of topics. Published monthly or weekly.
Authors	Scholars, professors, or researchers in the field, discipline, or specialty; names & credentials always provided.	May be written by staff, a scholar, professional in the field, or a free-lance writer, who has subject expertise.	Written by publication's staff or free-lance writers; name & credentials often not provided.
Language/ Audience	Use terminology & jargon of the discipline. Reader is assumed to have a similar scholarly background.	Language appropriate for an educated readership, and assumes a certain level of specialized knowledge.	Use simple language in order to meet minimum education level.
Graphics	Graphics and charts to illustrate articles, but seldom glossy pages, pictures, or advertisements.	Includes photographs, illustrations, charts and tables to enhance the publication. Sometimes glossy advertisements.	Photographs, illustrations, drawings, charts and full of glossy advertisements.
Sources	Sources cited with footnotes and bibliographies.	Occasionally cite sources: Sources sometimes cited in the text.	Rarely cite any sources. Original sources can be obscure.