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Use the charts to help you understand the differences between scholarly and non-scholarly sources. Please consult your professor or a librarian if you are unsure about identifying a particular source.
| CRITERIA | SCHOLARLY | TRADE | POPULAR |
| Authors | Written by authorities/experts | Written by professionals in the field, or freelancers | Written by journalists, freelancers, or guest contributors |
| Editors | Editors require that articles be reviewed by peers | No peer-review process | No peer-review process |
| Article Length | Lengthier articles (5–20+ pages) | Short to medium-length articles (1–20 pages) | Short articles or columns (1–10 pages) |
| Publication Frequency | Published 2–4 times per year | Published weekly or monthly | Published daily (newspapers), weekly or monthly |
| Appearance | Plain covers, matte paper, few illustrations & few ads, but many tables, figures, charts, graphs | Flashy covers, glossy paper, eye-catching illustrations & ads, some photos, cartoons, sidebars | Flashy covers, glossy paper, eye-catching illustrations & ads, photos, cartoons, sidebars, sometimes newspapers |
| Purpose | Inform, report, or make available original research to scholars and researchers | Examine problems or concerns in a particular profession or industry for practitioners | Entertain or persuade readers with general interest topics, or to sell products; usually not subject-specific |
| Tone & Language | Serious, academic, subject-specific language | Educated, subject-specific language | Entertaining or news-oriented, simple language |
| References | Sources are cited: bibliography, references, and/or footnotes used | Sources are usually not cited | Sources are rarely cited: no bibliographies or footnotes |
| Access | • Through subscribing academic libraries • Indexed only in subject-specific databases such as Criminal Justice Abstracts |
• Usually sent to office of subscribing practitioners • Indexing is scattered, but fullest coverage is through business indexes such as Business Source Premier |
• Newsstands or to homes of resident subscribers • Indexed in general-purpose databases such as Academic Search Premier |
| Examples: | Business: Quarterly Review of Economics & Business Psychology: Journal of Family Psychology Criminal Justice: Justice Quarterly Theology: Catholic Historical Review Nursing: Critical Care Nursing Quarterly General Interest: not applicable |
Business: Advertising Age Psychology: APA Review Criminal Justice: Police Chief Theology: Clergy Review Nursing: Nursing Times General Interest: not applicable |
Business: Business Week Psychology: Parents Criminal Justice: Corrections Today Theology: Christianity Today Nursing: Prevention General Interest: Newsweek, Sports Illustrated, People, National Enquirer, Good Housekeeping, etc. |