Dacus Library Research Guide: Scholarly Journals vs Popular Magazines

Welcome to Dacus Library Online

Scholarly Journals
vs
Popular Magazines

David Weeks
Coordinator of Library Instruction
Dacus Library
Winthrop University
June, 2008

Magazines and journals - many people use the terms interchangeable, but they are two distinctly different types of publications. As you begin doing research for papers and projects, it is important that you understand the differences. Why is it important? The main reason is reliability. Journals are considered more reliable sources for your research than are magazines. In fact, some professors will specify that you must use journals for you research in their class.

Let's look at some of the key differences:

Authors: Journals: The author of a journal article is always an expert in the journal's subject area. In addition, the author's work is critically reviewed by an editor before it's published. This combination is one of the reasons journals are considered more reliable than magazines. Magazines: Anybody can write an article for a magazine. If the editor likes the article and thinks it will sell issues, there's a good chance it will be published.	Peer Reviewed Journals: Sometimes you may hear your professors use the term "peer reviewed" or "refereed" when referring to some journals. these journals have a more involved review process than do ordinary journals. For example, the Journal of the American Medical Association is a peer reviewed journal. If I were a doctor and wrote an article for this publication, the editors would send my article to other doctors around the country for their review before deciding whether or not to publish it. This adds another layer of reliability to the information in the journal.
Audience: Journals: Articles in a journal are intended for the professionals in the journal's subject area. They are written in the language of the field and may be difficult for a person outside of the field to understand. Magazines: Articles in a magazine are written for a general audience. You don't have to be an expert in the subject area to understand them.
Articles: Journals: Journal articles are longer and provide comprehensive coverage of the topic. They almost always include a bibliography of the sources the author used. Magazines: Magazine articles give more of an overview of the topic and rarely contain the sources the author used.
Advertising: Journals: Contain little, if any, advertising. Magazines: Contain lots of advertising.

A good way to understand why journals are more reliable sources is to think of the reason that they're published. Journals are published for the sole purpose of disseminating research information to other professionals in a certain field. because of this, accuracy is a top priority for the journal editors. Magazines are published to make money for the publisher. The editors of a magazine are going to be concerned with which articles will sell the most issues. If you're unsure whether a publication is a magazine or a journal, stop by the reference desk and we can help you decide.