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#SearchSmart! Information Literacy Tutorial

This is a self-learning tutorial that addresses each stage of the research process, including: identifying information needs; selecting sources; finding high-quality, scholarly information; evaluating information; and using information responsibly.

Popular versus Scholarly Sources

It's crucial to learn how to distinguish between popular magazines and scholarly articles. Your lecturers will often require you to use scholarly articles, and understanding the different purposes of these publications will help you evaluate the information you find more effectively.

Popular magazines and scholarly articles are both types of periodicals. A periodical is any publication produced at regularly recurring intervals. Examples include journals, magazines, and newspapers. Periodicals are also referred to as serials.

When people hear the word periodical, they often think of articles. These articles can vary widely in length, from a single-paragraph story in a newspaper to a 40-page study in a scholarly journal.

Periodical articles are published in separate issues of the publication. For instance, when you pick up a copy of Time magazine, you are holding an issue of the periodical entitled Time. Often, especially in scholarly periodicals, the articles within an issue will revolve around a common theme. For example, an issue of the English Journal might devote the entire issue to a topic such as student assessment.

Understanding these differences will enable you to better navigate and utilise the various types of periodicals in your academic work.

Popular magazines versus Scholarly articles

Popular magazines:

  • Written for a broad audience, not for experts.
  • Typically do not contain original research and are not peer-reviewed.
  • Include little to no citations, providing timely first-hand perspectives efficiently.
  • Articles are usually shorter in length, avoiding technical language.
  • Occasionally feature pieces by academic scholars to promote their research, but these do not qualify as scholarly sources.
  • Some articles are fact-checked, but they are not scrutinised by multiple experts in the field.

Source: BizCommunity

Scholarly journal articles:

 

  • Written by researchers for researchers, targeting an expert audience.
  • Contain original research and undergo a rigorous peer-review process before publication.
  • Provide detailed citations of the sources consulted to support their arguments.
  • Articles often contain technical language and are typically longer in length.
  • Published by professional organisations or research institutions, which ensures high credibility due to rigorous standards and oversight.
  • Fact-checked and scrutinised by multiple experts in the field, ensuring the highest level of accuracy and reliability.

Source: OlinLibrary

Here’s a comparison of the key distinguishing features of popular magazines and scholarly journals:

Feature

Popular Magazines

Scholarly Journals

Terminology

Usually called magazines

Usually called scholarly journals or academic journals

Peer Review

Not applicable

Subset called peer-reviewed journals; articles must be approved by recognised experts in the field

Authorship

Journalists or staff writers

Experts or specialists in the field

Credibility

Viewed as having less credibility

Viewed as highly credible

Language

Non-technical, accessible language

Technical terms and jargon specific to the field

Content Focus

Wide variety of topics in each issue

Narrower range of specialised topics

Structure

Articles do not follow a specific format

Articles usually follow a set format (abstract, methodology, results, discussion, bibliography)

Advertisements

Contain commercial ads

Occasionally contain highly specialised ads relevant to the field

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