DIFFERENCES BETWEEN POPULAR MAGAZINES AND SCHOLARLY JOURNALS
Characteristics of Magazines:
- Articles describe a study or a research project that has been done or tell general facts about a subject
- Intended for the general public
- Usually, published more frequently (weekly, bi-weekly)
- Language is simple and style is more "newsy"
- Tries to catch the interest of readers with photographs and other color illustrations
- Usually, does not have a bibliography at the end of the article
- Usually, has a shorter article length
- Author does not have to be a member of the field he/she is writing about
- Usually, contains advertisements
- Publisher is usually a corporation
- Each issue's pages are numbered individually
- Articles are indexed in general indexes
- Issues are widely available and can be purchased in many stores
Characteristics of Scholarly Journals:
- Articles contain original research and original interpretation of data and texts (includes studies, experiments, and historical research)
- Intended for professionals, scholars, and students of a specific field
- Usually published less frequently (bimonthly, quarterly)
- Language is more technical and specific to the field
- Usually, has no pictures but may contain charts to show research data
- Usually, contains a bibliography at the end of the article
- Usually, has a longer article length
- Author is a qualified member of the field
- Contains few advertisements unless it is an item used in the field
- Publisher is usually a scholarly association or university
- Pages are continuously numbered throughout a volume
- Articles are indexed in subject-specific indexes​
EXAMPLES OF SOME POPULAR MAGAZINE
- Time
- Business Week
- Newsweek
- Forbes
- Psychology Today
- Fortune
- Atlantic Monthly
- Rolling Stone
- Entertainment Weekly
- Sports Illustrated
- New Yorker
- Ladies Home Journal
EXAMPLES OF SOME SCHOLARLY JOURNALS
- New England Journal of Medicine
- International Journal of Nursing Studies
- Journal of Abnormal Psychology
- Research in Higher Education
- JAMA
- Social Work
- William and Mary Quarterly
- Social Forces
- Canadian Literature
- Journal of Marriage and the Family
- Journal of Communication
- American Journal of Psychiatry
Source: http://www.wvncc.edu/current-students/differences-between-popular-magazines-and-scholarly-journals/118