2. Which is which?
Scholarly Popular
• Few illustrations • Many illustrations
– Usually graphs or charts – Usually glossy, color photos
• Few advertisements • Many advertisements
– Usually for academic services – Usually for consumer
or scientific processes products
• Lengthy articles with • Short articles, no
bibliographies
bibliographies
• Author may not be listed
• Author is listed with and credentials are rare
credentials – Usually staff or freelance
– Usually part of a university writers
• Article discusses original • Articles cover general
research interest topics

3. How do you find them?
Scholarly Popular
• Academic database • Google search
– ProQuest, ERIC, others – Newspaper or magazine
• Journal list home page
– “Find Articles” on library • Reader’s Guide
home page • Newsstand
Some databases contain both scholarly and
popular articles. If you want only scholarly
sources, be sure to select “Peer Reviewed” in
your search!

4. Popular: Newspapers
• Examples:
– New York Times
– Wall Street Journal
– Detroit News
• Characteristics:
– Current information
– News stories and features
– Opinion and commentary

5. Popular: Magazines
• Examples:
– Sports Illustrated
– Parenting
– Martha Stewart Living
• Characteristics:
– Lower reading level
– Tips, how to, recipes
– Targeted to specific consumer groups

6. Popular: News Magazines
• Examples:
– Time
– Newsweek
– U.S. News & World Report
• Characteristics
– Non-technical language
– Current events overviews
– Book and movie reviews

7. Popular: Opinion Journals
• Examples:
– National Review
– Christianity Today
– New Republic
• Characteristics:
– Educated audience
– Particular viewpoint
– Commentary on politics and
society

8. Popular: Professional Trade Journals
• Examples:
– Advertising Age
– Library Journal
– Modern Plastics
• Characteristics:
– Written for professionals in
the field
– Current trends and practices
– Meetings, jobs, personalities

9. Scholarly: Academic Journals
• Examples:
– Journal of Social Psychology
– Journal of Applied Physiology
– New England Journal of
Medicine
• Characteristics:
– Technical language
– Reports of original research
– Research methods and results,
discussion and extensive
citations

10. Questions?
Ask a reference librarian!
Phone: 517-750-6742
OR 800-968-9103 ext. 1742
Email: saulibrary@gmail.com

11. Image Credits
http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0720.html
http://www.marthastewart.com/customer-service
http://img.timeinc.net/time/magazine/archive/covers/2012/1101120109_400.jpg
http://c0.nrostatic.com/nrd/images/covers/20120206.gif
http://www.tandf.co.uk/common/jcovers/websmall/V/VSOC.jpg