Evaluating Resources: Types of Journals

This is a guide for evaluating information sources such as websites, periodical articles, and books.

What kind of journal is this?

When researching, you will come across a variety of different types of journals. Most journals and magazines fall into one of the following three categories: scholarly, popular, and trade publications. This table will show you how to find out how to tell the difference between these types of journals.

Identifying Journal Types
Scholarly Journals Popular Journals Trade Journals
Purpose Informs/reports on original research done by scholars and experts in the field.< Entertains and informs a general audience without providing in-depth analysis. Reports on industry trends, new products or techniques useful to people in a trade or business.
Authors Articles are written by subject specialists and experts in the field. Articles are written by journalists, freelance writers, or an editorial staff. Articles are written by specialists in a certain field or industry.
Audience Intended for a limited audience - mainly researchers, scholars, and experts. Appeals to a broad segment of the population. Intended for people in a particular profession, business, or industry.
Appearance Simple cover design, few images or ads. May include charts, graphs, data. Glossy, colorful, many images and lots of advertising. Often glossy paper; images/advertisements relate to specific field or profession.
Article length Tend to be lengthy, may include original research, in-depth analysis, very specific focus. Typically brief, from less than 1 page to several pages. Short to medium length articles.
Content Original research, literary criticism and theory, literature review, in-depth analysis of topic. Short, feature-length articles, news and general interest topics. Articles about professional trends, new products or techniques, industry-related news.
Writing style Use terminology, language and jargon relevant to the discipline. Simple language used, written for general public. Technical, field-specific language used, assumes reader familiar with industry.
References Articles typically include references, notes, works cited. Articles typically do not have references. Articles sometimes have references.
Examples
  • Shakespeare Quarterly
  • Journal of the American Medical Association
  • Newsweek
  • Rolling Stone
  • Sports Illustrated
  • Automotive News
  • Strategy & Business
  • Advertising Age
Subjects: Other Guides
  • Last Updated: Oct 18, 2023 9:20 AM
  • URL: https://libguides.gvsu.edu/evaluating