Determining a source’s popular or scholarly orientation will help you evaluate its appropriateness for your research purpose. For example, using some popular sources may work for an introductory undergraduate project, while all scholarly sources may be required for more advanced work, especially in a student's major field of study.
|
Popular Periodicals--Magazines |
Scholarly Periodicals---Academic Journals |
|
Written by journalists |
Written by experts in their field |
|
Reviewed by an editorial staff |
Often reviewed by peers within the discipline |
|
Purpose to inform, persuade, or entertain |
Purpose to present research findings, in-depth studies |
|
General audience |
More educated or professional audience |
|
Language aimed at a general audience |
May use vocabulary specific to the field |
|
Tone varies (serious, humorous, satirical, etc.) |
Tone serious |
|
No bibliography or works cited |
Bibliography or works cited for articles |
|
Contain many photographs, illustrations, drawings |
Few graphics, many charts and graphs |
|
Extensive advertising |
Selective advertising |
|
Articles usually short (1-5 pages) |
Articles usually longer |
|
Examples: Ebony, Time, Cosmopolitan, New Republic, Vogue |
Examples: Evolutionary Human Sciences History of Human Sciences Human Studies: A Journal for Philosophy and the Social Sciences Human Movement Science International Journal of Human Sciences Journal of Human Sciences Journal of Human Sciences and Extension Pedagogy and the Human Sciences
|