Larger image is available here.
POPULAR SOURCES
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Appear in magazines and newspapers, often with glossy or eye-catching covers. Geared toward a broad, general audience, and articles are reviewed by professional staff editors.
STRUCTURE
Language is meant to be understood by the general population. Tend to be shorter than academic journal articles. May include pictures, special layouts and/or advertisements. Do not usually list references or notes.
USES
Good place to look for current information and events because review process is short so articles get published quickly. Also useful for getting an overview of a topic. May tell human interest stories or convey emotional responses.
SCHOLARLY SOURCES
GENERAL CHARACTERISTICS
Published in subject-specific journals typically available through subscription only; won't find them in stores. Geared towards scholars in the discipline.
STRUCTURE
Appear in subject-specific journals, and are written by and for scholars and researchers. Typically refereed or peer-reviewed. May include graphs, data and/or statistics about the research. Use subject-specific terminology and phrases. Usually include a list of references or notes, and articles tend to be more lengthy.
USES
Useful for gathering subject-specific information, research and data. Major way for scholars to communicate, and may present or review research or criticism on a given topic. Quality and reliability of the info is much greater, particularly if it is peer-reviewed.
POINTS TO REMEMBER
Find out how to search for scholarly articles within EbscoHost's Academic Search Complete database, as well as other useful tips that will help you become a more efficient researcher. Additional info is available on the Popular vs. Scholarly page.
General Interest Magazines
Time – A weekly magazine covering current events, politics, and culture.
The Atlantic – Offers essays and reporting on politics, culture, and technology.
National Geographic – Focuses on science, exploration, geography, and global cultures.
The New Yorker – Features commentary, criticism, essays, fiction, and reportage.
Smithsonian – Covers history, science, arts, and culture.
Popular Science and Tech Magazines
Scientific American – Explains scientific developments for a general audience.
Popular Science – Focuses on technological and scientific innovations in layman-friendly language.
Discover – Science news and insights for non-specialists.
Wired – Covers technology, innovation, and cultural trends.
Trade or Professional Magazines (Non-Academic Journals)
Advertising Age (AdAge) – Marketing and advertising industry news.
Harvard Business Review –Management and business insights, presented for business professionals rather than researchers.
IEEE Spectrum – Covers electrical engineering and technology for professionals, not in formal academic paper format.
Architectural Digest – Architecture, design, and lifestyle.
Lifestyle and Arts Journals
Rolling Stone – Music, popular culture, and political reporting.
Vogue – Fashion, beauty, and lifestyle trends.
Bon Appétit – Food culture, recipes, and culinary insights.
ArtForum – Contemporary art news and criticism.
Multidisciplinary High-Impact Journals
Nature – Publishes research across science, technology, and medicine.
Science – Broad coverage of major scientific discoveries and reports.
PLOS ONE – Open-access, multidisciplinary journal covering research across all fields.
Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) – Interdisciplinary scientific research.
JIMRES – Interdisciplinary, addresses real-world challenges beyond one discipline.
Specialized Scientific and Medical Journals
The Lancet – Medicine and global health research.
New England Journal of Medicine (NEJM) – Clinical research and medical studies.
Journal of the American Chemical Society (JACS) – Chemistry research.
Cell – Molecular biology and life sciences.
American Sociological Review – Sociology and social science studies.
Journal of Political Economy – Economics and policy research.
Modern Language Journal – Linguistics and language studies.
Art Bulletin – Art history and cultural studies.
Harvard Educational Review – Education theory and studies
Open-Access Scholarly Journals
PLOS Biology / PLOS Medicine – Open-access life sciences and medical research
BMC Series (BioMed Central) – Open-access journals covering biology, medicine, and healthcare research.
arXiv –Preprints in physics, mathematics, computer science, and quantitative biology.
Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ) – High-quality journals from around the world.
Note: Non-scholarly journals typically...
Target a general readership or professional audience.
Do not require peer review or formal research standards.
Provide news, commentary, lifestyle features, or industry updates instead of original academic research.
Popular vs. Scholar Articles
Learn to differentiate between popular and scholarly sources and will be able to use them appropriately in their research.
(Evelyn & Howard Boroughs Library, 3:05 min.)