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BIO1009 Concepts of Biology

Guide designed to assist with the Issues in Biology Project

What Type of Journal Is It?

With the plethora of information available, it is sometimes difficult to know where to look for scholarly information.  Knowing the type of journal you  are looking at can sometimes help to determine the type of information you will find located within that journal.  This page will cover the basic differences between scholarly, trade, and popular differences.

Determining the Type of Journal

To review the types of journals available in the library, watch the following video tutorial.

Scholarly Journal or Trade Publication or Popular Magazine

    SCHOLARLY JOURNAL TRADE PUBLICATION POPULAR MAGAZINE
Appearance
  • Plain cover
  • Plain paper
  • Primarily Black & White
  • Graphs / Charts / Tables
  • Few photographs
  • Few or no advertisements
  • Longer length articles
  • Cover depicts industry
  • Glossy paper
  • Pictures in color
  • Trade-related ads
  • Moderate article length
  • Flashy cover
  • Glossy paper
  • Pictures in color
  • Colorful product ads
  • Short articles
Audience
  • Academic / Professional
  • Professors
  • Researchers
  • Students   
  • Industry members
  • Professionals in the field
  • General public
  • Non-professionals
Authors
  • Experts in the field
  • Credentials given
  • Industry specialist
  • Staff writer
  • Authors named
  • Credentials may be given
  • Journalist
  • Staff writer
  • Freelance writer
  • Credentials rarely given
Content
  • Research projects
  • Methodology
  • Theory   
  • Industry trends
  • Industry products
  • Industry techniques
  • Organizational news
  • Personalities
  • News
  • Opinions
  • General interest
Language
  • Discipline-specific jargon
  • Title - "Journal," "Bulletin," or "Review"
  • Industry jargon
  • Title includes industry name
  • General audience reading level
Publishers
  • Professional organizations
  • Scholarly organizations
  • University press
  • Trade organizations   
  • Commercial, for-profit organizations
References
  • Includes bibliography
  • Includes references
  • Includes notes
  • Includes works cited
  • May include bibliography
  • Rarely cited sources
Subjects: Biology, Science