Scholarly journals (aka academic journals) publish articles by scholars and experts in their field and are intended for the academic community. Many scholarly journals are also peer-reviewed (aka refereed), which means they have an editorial board with additional experts in the field who review all articles submitted for publication to ensure that they meet academic standards.
Popular journals are intended for the general public, and their journalists may have some knowledge of a field, but are usually not academic experts. Popular journals can be appropriate for some academic papers, but not all, so be sure to check with your professor.
How can you distinguish a scholarly journal from a popular journal? Refer to the following chart, which highlights the differences between the two:
|
|
Popular |
Scholarly |
|
Audience |
General Public |
Scholars/Experts/Students |
|
Authors |
Reporters/Journalists |
Scholars/Experts |
|
Peer-Reviewed |
No |
Yes |
|
Color Pictures |
Many |
Few |
|
Advertisements |
Many |
Few |
|
Article Length |
1-5 pages |
10+ pages |
|
Article Titles |
Short & Catchy |
Long & Descriptive |
|
Cites Sources |
No |
Yes |
