The physical appearance of print sources can help you identify the type of source as well. Popular magazines and trade publications are usually glossy with many photos. Scholarly journals are usually smaller and thicker with plain covers and images, In electronic sources you can check for bibliographies and author credentials or affiliations as potential indicators of scholarly sources.
| Popular Magazines | Scholarly (including peer-reviewed) | |
| Content |
Current events; general interest articles |
Research results/reports; reviews of research (review articles); book reviews |
| Purpose | To inform, entertain, or elicit an emotional response and mostly aim to inform, update, or introduce a topic to a general reader | To share research or scholarship with the academic community. Journals usually have a narrow subject focus, and articles often include original research, reviews, or essays |
| Author | Articles are usually written by professional writers or journalists | Articles are written by authorities in the field |
| Audience | General public | Scholarly readers (researchers, professors, or students) |
| Review | Staff editor | Editorial board made up of other scholars and researchers. Some articles are peer-reviewed |
| Citations | There are rarely bibliographies | Authors cite their sources in endnotes, footnotes, or bibliographies |
| Ads* | Contain numerous ads for a variety of products | Minimal, usually only for scholarly products like books |
| Examples | Foreign Affairs ; New Statesman ; The Atlantic | American Journal of Political Science ; American Political Science Review ; Annual Review Of Political Science |
*Ads will not be visible when viewing articles through a library database