There are many different types of publications, ranging from scholarly journals to trade publications to general magazines and newspapers. How can you tell the difference?
Scholarly journal
Trade/professional pub
Popular magazine
Appearance
Plain cover/plain paper; black/white graphics and illustrations
Cover may depict industry setting; glossy; color
Eye-catching cover; glossy; pics and illustrations in color
Content
Research projects, methodology, and theory
Industry trends, products or techniques, organizational news
Personalities, news, opinions, general interest
Audience
Academic or professional; professors, researchers, students
Members of specific business, industry, or organization
General public
Peer reviewed?*
Yes
Rarely
No
Bibliography
Always
Maybe – sometimes have short bibliographies
Never
Advertisements
Few or none
Moderate – most will be trade-related
Heavy
Abstract
Yes
Maybe
No
Writing style
Specialized vocabulary or jargon; may require training or subject expertise to understand
Specialized vocabulary or jargon; may require training or subject expertise to understand
Vocabulary that can be understood by general public
Examples
Communication Research
Journal of Communication
Journalism History
Advertising Age
Columbia Journalism Review
Editor & Publisher
Time
Sports Illustrated
Vanity Fair
*On Peer Review: Peer reviewed articles (also sometimes called refereed articles or scholarly articles) require that experts in the field must first examine the article before it is accepted for publication. This ensures that the research is sound and of high quality.
