Scholarly and Non-Scholarly Periodicals:

A CHECKLIST OF CRITERIA

             Journals and magazines are important sources for up-to-date information in all disciplines, but it can be difficult to distinguish between the various levels of scholarship.  This guide divides periodical literature into four categories:  1) Scholarly, 2) Substantive News or General Interest, 3) Popular, 4) Sensational.     

SCHOLARLY

 ... generally have a sober, serious look; often contain many graphs and charts but few glossy pages or exciting pictures.

 ... always cite their sources in the form of notes or bibliography.

 ... contain articles written by scholars or by people who have done research in the field.  The credentials of the contributors are noted on the first or last page of the article.

 ... use the language of the discipline covered and assumes some scholarly background on the part of the reader.

 ... report on original research or experimentation in order to make such information available to the rest of the scholarly world.

 ... often, but not always, published by a specific professional organization.
  

examples

 JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association

 Psychological Bulletin (published by the American Psychological Assoc.)

 Modern Language Review (Modern Humanities Research Assoc.)

SUBSTANTIVE NEWS OR GENERAL INTEREST

 ... may be quite attractive in appearance, although some are in newspaper format.  Articles are often heavily illustrated, generally with photographs.

 ... sometimes cite sources, though more often do not.

 ... include articles written by a member of the editorial staff, a scholar, or a freelance writer.

 ... use language geared to any educated audience.  There is no specialty assumed, only interest and a certain level of intelligence.

 ... are generally published by commercial enterprises or individuals, although some are produced by specific professional organizations.

 ... aim to provide information in a general manner, to a broad audience of concerned citizens.
 

examples

             Economist           Newsweek           Psychology Today           Scientific American            Time

POPULAR

 ... come in many formats, often slick and attractive in appearance.  They contain many graphics (photographs, drawings, etc.)

 ... rarely, if ever, cite sources.  Information is often second or third hand and the original source is sometimes obscure.

 ... contain very short articles written in simple language, designed to meet a minimal education level.  There is generally little depth.

 ... are written by staff members or freelance writers.

 ... aim to entertain the reader and sell products and/or promote a viewpoint.
 

examples

 
Family Circle           Sports Illustrated           People Weekly           Reader's Digest

SENSATIONAL

 ... come in a variety of styles, but often use a newspaper format.

 ... use elementary language, occasionally inflammatory or sensational.  They assume a certain gullibility in their audience.

 ... aim to arouse curiosity and cater to popular superstitions, often with flashy headlines (e.g. "Fifty Pound Baby Walks at Birth")
 

examples

National Enquirer                  Star                    Weekly World News 

There are reference books which attempt to describe and evaluate periodical titles.  If you need further information about an individual title, consult: 

REF                 Katz, William A., and Linda Sternberg Katz.  Magazines for Libraries.  9th ed.
025.1732         New Providence:  Bowker, 1997.
K159                           Lists more than 7,000 periodicals, giving beginning publication date,
                                    publisher, editor, address, price, size and level of audience.  Brief
                                    descriptions of scope, political slant, and other aspects of the
                                    publication.  Arranged by topic; there is a title index at the end.

*Adapted from materials developed by the URIS Undergraduate Library, Cornell University.