Scholarly Journals
Periodicals
Periodicals are publications issued regularly and more frequently than annually. Magazines, journals, and newspapers are examples of periodicals. They can be issued daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or at any regular interval.
Use of Journals
Journals are used to provide articles by professionals in a certain discipline. They are considered a reputable source of information. Many professors require the use of scholarly journals for research papers, since their primary purpose is to inform and report on original research or experimentation. It is also appropriate in some classes to use magazines, so check with your professor or ask a Reference Librarian if you are not sure.
| Magazine: | Journal: | |
|---|---|---|
| popular (general audience) | scholarly (specialized audience) | |
| little original research | original research | |
| usually shorter articles | longer articles | |
| written by journalists or writers | written by experts in the field | |
| usually no bibliography | documented with bibliography | |
| often includes pictures | may include charts and graphs | |
| author may not be identified | author affiliation given | |
| articles may not be reviewed | articles reviewed by other experts | |
| general publishers | publishers are frequently professional societies or universities | |
| Examples of magazines: Newsweek, National Geographic, Sports Illustrated | Examples of journals: American Historical Review, Journal of Shellfish Research |
Updated: 13 August 2008