Scholarly to
Popular Continuum:
A table of criteria for evaluating magazine and journal articles
The following table modifies a print document (date unknown) obtained from Purdue University Undergraduate Library, and we gratefully acknowledge the unknown author of the original.
Criteria in the left column are used to compare 4 different types of magazines/journals: scholarly, technical/trade, substantial news/general interest, and popular. A fifth type, sensational (example: National Enquirer), has not been included because sensational magazines should not be used for your research projects.
| CRITERIA | SCHOLARLY JOURNALS | TECHNICAL / TRADE | SUBSTANTIAL NEWS / GENERAL INTEREST | POPULAR |
| Format | Generally have grave, serious formats | Are attractive in appearance | Attractive in appearance | Generally slick & glossy with an attractive format |
| Graphics | Contain graphs and charts to illustrate the articles but usually quite plain in appearance with minimal use of color. | Include photographs, illustrations and graphics to enhance the publication | Include photographs, illustrations and graphics to enhance the publication | Contain photographs, illustrations and drawings to enhance their image |
| Sources | Cite sources with footnotes and/or bibliography | Articles may not be footnoted or may have few footnotes | Occasionally cite sources, but this is exception to rule | Rarely cite sources; Original sources can be obscure |
| Authors | Written by or for scholars or researchers in the specialty | Written by or for people working in a particular profession | Written for an educated, general audience either by the magazine’s staff, a scholar, or free-lance writers. | Written by the publication’s staff or free-lance writers for a broad based audience |
| Language | Use terminology, jargon and the language of the discipline covered. The reader is assumed to have a similar scholarly background. | Use terminology and jargon of the field but are usually less formal in tone. | Use language appropriate for an educated readership. They do not necessarily emphasize a specialty but do assume a certain level of intelligence. | Use simple language in order to meet a minimum education level. Articles are kept short, with little depth. |
| Purpose | Purpose is to inform, report or make available original research or experimentation to the rest of the scholarly world. | Purpose is often to help someone do their job better, and do not usually reflect original research. Includes job listings and other news of interest to people in that profession. | Provide general information to a wide, interested audience. | Designed to entertain or persuade. Hidden agenda may include selling products or services. |
| Publishers | Generally published by a professional organization or society | Published by professional association | Published by commercial enterprises for profit | Published for profit |
| Advertising | No advertising or very minimal, selective advertising | Advertisements are aimed at people in that profession -- including products and services of interest to them. | Carry general advertising | Carry extensive general advertising |
| Examples | Examples: New England Journal of Medicine Journal of the American Chemical Society Harvard Business Review |
Examples: American Biology Teacher Chemical & Engineering News |
Examples: Scientific American Psychology Today Newsweek |
Examples People Weekly Esquire Reader's Digest |
Return to Mundt Library
homepage. 
Return to DSU homepage
Last Updated 09/13/03
Send email to smithr@columbia.dsu.edu