Scholarly or “peer-reviewed” articles are typically preferred when doing academic research. Peer-reviewed material is scholarly material that is evaluated for accuracy and authenticity before being accepted for publication. A scholarly article may have charts and graphs but few if any photographs. They will contain theories, research findings or summaries of current research. They are longer than magazine articles, use vocabulary specific to the field. They may be found in open access journals, behind paywalls inside databases, on university webpages or books. The following are other differences between the two.
|
Popular Magazine |
Scholarly journal |
Appearance |
adds, high gloss pages, photos |
black and white; charts and graphs; lots of text |
Length |
varies |
long |
Authors |
varies, may be a general reporter or an expert reporter |
scholars; academics PhDs who are recognized as experts |
Publisher |
commercial |
educational institutions or professional organizations |
Language |
written to be understood by general readers |
academic jargon |
Sources |
usually identified in text |
contains citations, footnotes and references |
Evaluation |
fact checked by editors |
evaluated for accuracy and authenticity by scholars in the field |
Purpose |
provides news or entertainment |
contributes to the field of research |