There are three main types of publications that may appear in the advanced search results of many social and behavioral sciences databases. These are:
Adapted from text originally created by Holly Burt, Behavioral Sciences Librarian, USC Libraries, April 2018.
Below is a chart developed by the USC Libraries instruction team that can help you distinguish between a scholarly [a.k.a., peer-reviewed or academic] journal article and a popular, general interest publication. Note that trade journals are an important type of resource in business and industry intended to inform practitioners and professional leaders about current news and trends in a specific area of manufacturing, service, or other trade activity. They are not considered scholarly because the articles are not reviewed by scholars before publication.
|
Scholarly/Academic |
Popular Magazines |
Trade Journals |
Newspapers |
Author |
Scholar or researcher in field with stated credentials and affiliations |
Staff writer, journalist, often a generalist |
Staff writer, journalist often with expertise in field |
Staff writer, journalist, columnist |
Sources and Documentation |
All sources cited; extensive bibliographies, list of references, or notes |
No formal citations; original sources may be obscure |
No formal citations; may refer to reports; may include a bibliography |
May refer to sources in text; no formal list of references |
Editorial Process |
Blind peer-reviewed [i.e., refereed] by multiple experts in the field |
Reviewed by a single editor |
Reviewed by a single editor |
Reviewed by a single editor |
Purpose |
To present research findings and expand knowledge in a discipline or specific field of study |
To inform about current or popular events, issues or popular culture; to entertain |
To inform those working in the profession of events, products, techniques, and other professional issues. |
To inform about current events and issues internationally, domestically, and locally |
Structure of Articles |
Lengthy (10+ pages) articles divided into specific sections, such as, literature review, methodology, results, discussion, and conclusion |
Mix of short articles with in-depth articles on a variety of subjects |
Industry specific articles of varying length; report news and trends but no original research |
Brief articles, unless feature; may include original research written in a journalistic, investigative style |
Frequency of Publication |
Annually, semi-annually, quarterly, or monthly |
Monthly or weekly |
Monthly or weekly |
Weekly or daily |
Titles |
May contain the words "Journal of", "Review of" or "Annals"; may contain the name of a discipline or subject area; may be lengthy |
Straightforward; may address a general theme or subject; may be one word |
Usually short and catchy; may contain the name of a trade or industry [e.g., Grocery Store News] |
Simple; usually reflects a city or geographic location |
Print Appearance |
Plain covers that vary little from issue to issue; primarily black and white; mostly dense text with few graphics; pages consecutive throughout each volume |
Very glossy and colorful; high impact visuals and design; some feature columns; many full page advertisements |
Glossy with high impact graphics; regularly scheduled featured columns; pictorials of industry events; industry-related advertisements |
Newsprint; lengthy and brief articles; regularly scheduled featured columns |
Language |
Complex and academic; includes discipline-specific jargon or technical terms |
Simple and non-technical |
Mix of jargon and technical terminology |
Mix of simple and sophisticated |
Illustrations |
Complex tables or graphs to display research data; may have appendices |
Photos and colorful graphics for visual impact or entertainment |
Colorful graphics and photos for emphasis |
Photos and graphics for emphasis |
Advertisements |
None, or limited to books, other journals, and professional meetings |
Very frequent |
Frequent, targeting a specific trade or industry |
Very frequent |
Intended Audience |
Scholars, researchers, scientists, advanced students |
General public |
Industry members, professionals, and associated stakeholders |
General public, some with specialization (e.g., Wall Street Journal for readers in business) |
Value and Usefulness in Research |
Critical to understanding and analyzing a topic in detail and to design a coherent, well-organized original research study |
Limited; news magazines, such as, Time are useful for following current events |
Limited to understanding news and trends in specific industries and professions |
Essential to following current events; provides local coverage of issues |
Chapmana, Julie M., Charlcie K. Pettway, and Steven A. Scheuler. “Teaching Journal and Serials Information to Undergraduates: Challenges, Problems and Recommended Instructional Approaches.” The Reference Librarian 38 (2002): 363-382; Cockrella, Barbara J. and Elaine Anderson Jayneb. “How Do I Find an Article? Insights from a Web Usability Study.” Journal of Academic Librarianship 28 (May-June 2002): 122-132; Usdansky, Margaret L. “A Weak Embrace: Popular and Scholarly Depictions of Single-Parent Families, 1900 - 1998.” Journal of Marriage and Family 71 (May 2009): 209-225.