Types of Journals
CRITERIA | POPULAR MAGAZINES | PROFESSIONAL/TRADE JOURNALS | SCHOLARLY JOURNALS |
Who is the intended audience? | The general public | Members of a trade or profession | Researchers and experts |
Who are the authors? | Staff writers, although many articles are unsigned | Staff writers and experts in the field | Researchers and experts |
Are sources cited in a bibliography? | Almost never | Sometimes | Always |
What is the publication’s purpose? | To disseminate general information and news or to entertain | To publicize current topics and professional issues in the field | To disseminate research findings |
What is the content? | General interest stories and news | Trends, standards, and new technologies in the field | Research reports |
What kind of language is used? | Language that requires no expertise | Jargon that assumes expertise in the field | Jargon that assumes expertise in the field |
Who is the publisher? | Commercial organizations | Associations | Associations or Universities |
Is the source of the information reliable? | Most of the time, but not necessarily -publishing deadlines mean a thorough review is difficult to conduct |
Usually – the articles often undergo reviews by an editor or editorial board, but sometimes publications are biased to support the industry | Yes – the articles undergo blind reviews by other scholars |