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Scholarly vs Popular Periodicals

This guide explains the differences between scholarly and popular periodicals.

What are the key differences between Popular and Scholarly periodical articles?

 

                        SCHOLARLY                          (academic journals)

                        POPULAR                          (magazines and newspapers)

 Target Audience                       (Who is it written for?)

 Experts, scholars, researchers, students    General public

 Credentials of the Author(s)   (Experts? Journalists?)

 Experts, scholars, researchers

 Journalists, staff writers, guest writers

 Writing Style                             (Easy to read? Specialized language?)

 Technical or specialized language

 

 Easy to read

 

 Design                                 (Graphics? Layout?)

 Serious-looking, may contain charts/graphs 

 Color pictures and advertisements

 Cited Sources                              (Is there a list of references?)

 Always with a long list of references

 Usually with no references

 Other distinguishing traits?

 Lengthy articles

 Glossy paper