Periodicals: Scholarly, Popular or Trade?
There is not always a clear-cut division between types of publications, but this table offers some clues to help you distinguish between scholarly journals, popular magazines, and trade journals. Not all features have to be present to make a publication "scholarly."
Scholarly Journal |
Trade Publication |
Popular Magazine |
|
---|---|---|---|
Audience | Scholars, researchers, students of the field | People in a particular industry | General public |
Written by | Specialists in the field, usually scholars with Ph.D.s | Industry practitioners and professional writers | Journalists; poets and writers of fiction; essayists |
Appearance | Serious and sober, with few colors and few or no advertisements | Glossy, with advertisements aimed at the industry | Glossy, with pictures and advertisements |
Coverage | Original research results and scholarship | Industry trends, news and statistics | Popular topics and current events |
Articles |
Are signed and often include author's credentials Often have many joint authors Are written in technical and scholarly language May be peer reviewed or "refereed" before publication by an editorial board or outside scholars |
Are not always signed by the author May include jargon specific to the industry |
Are not always signed by the author Are written in relatively simple language Written for a general public audience |
Length | Articles are usually lengthy - often 10 or more pages | Articles are usually under 10 pages in length | Articles are usually under 10 pages in length |
Slant | Supposed to present objective/neutral viewpoint; often published by professional associations, like the American Psychological Association, or by university presses | May reflect the industry's point of view, particularly on regulatory and legislative issues; often published by trade associations or by for-profit corporations | May reflect the editorial bias/slant of the magazine; usually published by commercial entities |
Frequency | Usually quarterly, sometimes monthly | Usually weekly or monthly | Usually weekly or monthly |
References Cited | Usually includes a bibliography and/or footnotes | Few footnotes; bibliographies are rare | Usually has no bibliography or footnotes |
Examples | Journal of Practical Nursing; Criminal Law Bulletin; Child Development | Advertising Age, Hotel and Motel Management; Travel Weekly | Newsweek, Men's Health, Sports Illustrated, Ladies' Home Journal |
Adapted from page created by Jan Lewis, based on Selecting the Right Source (UCLA), Is it a Scholarly Journal? A Magazine? A Trade Journal? (VCU), and Scholarly (Professional) Journals Versus popular (General) Magazines (U. Minn.).
Periodicals Handout
Chat is available when the Library is open. If chat is offline, click here to submit a question.
Library Information Desk
262-691-5316
library@wctc.edu
Director of Library Services
Amy Manion, 262-695-3459
Reference/Instruction
Samantha Seagrist, 262-691-5312
Greg Ludwig, 262-691-5382
Felicia Vastalo, 262-691-5379
Research Help Desk, 262-691-5409
Interlibrary Loan/Overdue Accounts
262-691-5316
Interlibrary Loan Request Form
Cataloging/Technical Services
Cheryl Little, 262-695-3480
Circulation/Automated Systems
Mary Baker, 262-695-3482
Library Technician/Serials
Jennifer Brooks, 262-691-5539
Part-Time/Evening Staff
Suzie Bagley, 262-691-5316
Molly Mead, 262-691-5316
Administrative Assistant
Beth Soika, 262-691-5311