Journals vs. Magazines - Or, What's a Scholarly Source

Why does it matter?
Criteria
Examples
Finding Scholarly Sources

Why does it matter?

Being able to distinguish between journals (scholarly sources) and magazines (non-scholarly sources) is important because:

Your instructor may specify "use only scholarly sources",
Various citation styles treat journals and magazines differently,
Material in a journal is automatically considered more authoritative than a magazine, and
Peer-reviewed journals are considered the most authoritative sources.

Check with your instructor if you are not sure of the classification of a particular source.

[top]

Criteria

These criteria are guidelines. Some publications won't exactly match this list. If a publication matches MOST of the criteria for a type, that is probably the correct placement.

Journals	Magazines
Physical format and appearance
Black and white text, simple fonts Few color photographs Non-glossy paper "Journal" often part of title (Ladies Home Journal is an obvious exception!)	Varied fonts, colored highlights in text Lots of color photographs Glossy paper Titles tend to be less scholarly
Content
Generally long articles Letters to editor may be several pages long Few ads, which are aimed at professionals in the field	Articles vary in length Letters to editor generally short Lots of colorful ads, aimed at the general public
Typical authors
Scholars or experts in the field Authors are always identified	Staff or free-lance writers Authors may not be identified
Sourcing
Always identify sources in some way May use footnotes, parenthetical references, reference list, or bibliography	Often don't identify sources Sources may be discussed as part of narrative structure
Review process
Editor will be expert in the field Articles may be checked by other experts before publication ("peer review")	Editor has publication background Articles only reviewed in-house
Audience
Aimed at scholars in the field	Aimed at general public or hobbyists

[top]

Examples

Journals	Magazines
Political Behavior Journal of Sport Management American Historical Review Plant Physiology	Time, U.S. News & World Report Sports Illustrated Vogue, Cosmopolitan Better Homes & Gardens

[top]

Finding Scholarly Sources

Look for publications from a professional organization.
Use databases such as ScienceDirect Journals or JSTOR that contain only scholarly sources.
Use databases such as Academic Search Premier or Professional Development Collection that allow you to specify "peer-reviewed journals".
See whether Ulrich's Periodicals Directory indicates that it is a Refereed Journal.
Evaluate print journals and journals in other databases using the criteria above.

[top]

West Texas A&M University			Quick Links:

Books & more	Articles & more	Course resources	Subject resources	Library & services	Help