Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between a scholarly journal and a popular magazine?

A scholarly journal (also called academic or professional) contains articles intended for professionals, scholars, researchers or students of a specific field; it usually is written in technical language and is specific to the field; often contains lengthy articles; it is often peer-reviewed or refereed; has little or no advertising; often contains tables, charts or graphs to accompany research but no pictures; contains bibliographies for each article, and does not necessarily contain the word "journal" in its title. Examples include New England Journal of Medicine; Research in Higher Education; Pediatrics, and Journal of Abnormal Psychology.

A popular magazine contains articles for the general public; usually has many color photographs; is written in simple language; may have unsigned articles; contains many advertisements, usually has shorter article length and does not have a bibliography at the end of articles. Magazines are widely available and can be purchased in many stores. Examples include Time, Business Week, Forbes, and Sports Illustrated.