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College research assignments frequently require students to use "scholarly" or "refereed" periodicals (journals, magazines, newspapers). Here are some guidelines to help you distinguish between the two major kinds of periodicals found in academic libraries:
| Scholarly | Popular | |
| Authors | Scholars, researchers. Credentials and affiliations are given. |
Journalists, staff writers. Credentials are rarely given. |
| Content | Original research, the results of a study, or a review of scholarly research. Follows scholarly format: abstract, literature review, methodology, results, conclusion, bibliography. | Informative, entertaining, secondary information. No specific format is followed. |
| References | List of references or bibliography included. In-text citations, footnotes provided. | References generally not provided. |
| Editors | Editors are experts in their field. Their affiliations are given. | Editors are staff members, journalists, not scholars. |
| Audience | Other scholars, researchers, students. | General public. |
| Appearance | Sober, serious. May include charts, graphs, statistics. | Attractive, eye-catching, with photographs and illustrations. |
| Length | Lengthy. | Shorter. Typically 1-5 pages. |
| Examples | JAMA: The Journal of the American
Medical Association Journal of Abnormal Psychology |
Psychology Today Scientific American Time |
For further information consult these reference books:
Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory. Ref Folio Z6941 .U5
Magazines for Libraries. 10th ed. Ref Z 6941 .M23
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Last updated: 07/26/2001