Journal vs. Magazine   Tags: journal, magazine, trade_journals  

What are the differences?

Not all articles are written at the same level or for the same audience. It's crucial to choose the type of periodical that contains articles specific to your research! To obtain either citations to articles or actual full-text, you may want to consult the guide " Find Articles " which outlines various ways of locating periodicals for your research.

Scholarly Journals

• Report original research, discoveries, experimentation, reviews, or essays
• Are written by and for scholars and researchers in the field, and aimed at scholarly readers such as professors, scientists, and advanced students
• Cite sources and provide footnotes and/or bibliographies
• Are often peer reviewed by an editor or specialists in the field for accuracy
• Often contain graphs, statistics, case studies
• Are often published by academic or association presses
• Contain selective advertising
• Will use graphs and charts

Example: Journal of Political Ecology

Journals are an excellent resource for your research!

Popular Magazines

• Articles are written and designed to entertain or persuade
• Articles are usually written by professional journalists or writers for a general audience
• Articles tend to be short, although some magazines feature lengthy stories or special reports
• Articles rarely cite sources or contain a bibliography
• Are published by commercial, for-profit presses
• Contain photographs and illustrations to enhance appeal
• May contain extensive advertising

Example: Time magazine

Magazines can also be a good source for your research!

Trade Journals

• Focus on a specific profession or industry
• Articles are written for professional or trade-associated audiences by scholars, freelance writers, or magazine staff
• Are published by professional or trade associations
• Articles occasionally cite sources
• Articles may include photographs, illustrations, industry-specific statistics, and information

Example: Information Today

Trade journals are an excellent resource for information on a specialized topic and a good way to stay current in your field!

Sensational Publications

• Can be either magazines or newspapers
• Articles rarely cite sources of information
• Articles are written in an easy to read manner to arouse curiousity and often stretch or twist the truth
• Produced in a tabloid-size, newspaper format
• May contain advertising that may be as strange as the stories
• Articles are not indexed and are rarely found in libraries
• Sometimes referred to as "yellow journalism"

Example: Weekly World News