Scholarly Journals
Scholarly journals usually deal with some type of research. They are normally published by an academic organization (i.e., Journal of the Society of Biblical Literature) Articles are peer-reviewed, meaning that they have been thoroughly critiqued and edited by experts in the field of interest before they appear in a journal.
Other indicators of scholarly materials:
- Journal focuses on one discipline (i.e. Journal of Immunology);
- Author's credentials are included;
- Present original research or experimentations;
- More emphasis is placed on content than on appearance.
- Specialized language, charts, and/or graphs
Non-Scholarly (Popular) Materials
Non-scholarly or popular materials are generally written for public interest. Editors normally seek articles that deal with current issues and popular topics in culture and society. Generally, non-scholarly materials are written for a particular audience; they are often opinionated and not peer-reviewed.
Examples of non-scholarly materials:
- Popular magazines (i.e. Sports Illustrated, Black Enterprise, Ladies' Home Journal)
- Opinion magazines (i.e. The New Republic, National Review)
- Newspapers
- News magazines (i.e. Time, Newsweek, U.S. News & World Report)
- Trade journals (i.e. Beverage World, Advertising Age)
