How Do I Distinguish
Different Types of Journals?
| CRITERIA |
POPULAR MAGAZINES |
PROFESSIONAL/TRADE
JOURNALS |
SCHOLARLY JOURNALS |
| Who is the intended audience? |
The general public |
Members of a trade or profession |
Researchers and experts |
| Who are the authors? |
Staff writers, although many articles are
unsigned |
Staff writers and experts in the
field |
Researchers and experts |
| Are sources cited in a bibliography? |
Almost never |
Sometimes |
Always |
| What is the publication's purpose? |
To disseminate general information and
news or to entertain |
To publicize current topics and
professional issues in the field |
To disseminate research findings |
| What is the content? |
General interest stories and news |
Trends, standards, and new technologies
in the field |
Research reports |
| What kind of language is used? |
Language that requires no expertise |
Jargon that assumes expertise in the
field |
Jargon that assumes expertise in the
field |
| Who is the publisher? |
Commercial organizations |
Associations |
Associations or Universities |
| Is the source of the information
reliable? |
Most of the time, but not necessarily -
publishing deadlines mean a thorough review
is difficult to conduct |
Usually - the articles often undergo
reviews by an editor or editorial board, but
sometimes publications are biased to support
the industry |
Yes - the articles undergo blind reviews
by other scholars |
