Magazine and journal articles can usually be considered "popular" or "scholarly."
Criteria to identify "popular" magazine articles:
Articles are short, written by journalists rather than by scholars, and appear in popular magazines and news magazines. These are the magazines commonly found in newstands, bookstores and supermarkets, etc. Time, Better Homes and Gardens, and Sports Illustrated are examples of popular magazines.
Articles frequently include glossy color photographs.
Articles are often unsigned and/or written by journalists; there may be no way to assess the accuracy of the information or the qualifications of the author. Typically there is no bibliography or list of sources.
Articles are usually informative and up-to-date and may deal with important contemporary issues, but they are not based upon scholarly research.
Criteria to identify "scholarly" sources:
Articles tend to be longer, are written by scholars or specialists on the subject whose credentials can be evaluated, and appear in scholarly journals.
Scholarly journal titles often have the words such as "Journal" "Review", "Bulletin", or "Research" or may include the title of an organization, such as "American Historical Association". Examples of scholarly journals are Child Study Journal, American Economic Review, and Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA).
Many of these journals are "refereed" or "peer reviewed" or "scholarly," i.e., articles are selected for publication by a panel of experts who evaluate them for accuracy and importance.
Articles may not be heavily illustrated, but tables, graphs, and diagrams are often included.
Articles are usually based on original research using established methodology which supports conclusions arrived at by the author.
A bibliography or list of references is included. These allow the reader to see what sources were used by the author of the article. Notes or in-text references will be used.
Books may also be "popular" or "scholarly." When evaluating books, you may want to ask the following questions:
Are there documented sources to support the author's research? Documentation includes either notes and bibliographies or parenthetical references and reference lists.
Is the author objective? Look for indications that the author is unbiased.
Are the author's credentials or affiliation stated? Do the credientials establish the author as an expert?
Who published the book? Books published by popular presses may carry less weight than those published by scholarly or university presses.
For more information...
This page is maintained by Rebecca Knight, Reference Department.
Version: 02/08
Last modified: 02/11/08
