Periodicals can be classified broadly into several categories: scholarly, trade publications, substantive news and popular. Professors often require that you use scholarly periodicals for your research papers. Here is a chart to help determine the level of scholarship for a particular periodical.
| Scholarly | Trade | Substantive News | Popular | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Appearance | Appears sober and serious. May have charts or graphs. Few pictures. |
← → |
Attractive, glossy or newspaper format. | Looks glossy and colorful, with lots of photos and illustrations. |
| Audience | Targets scholars/ students in a particular field. | Targets professionals. | Aims for a general readership. | Aims for a general readership. |
| Author | Scholars or researchers often associated with a university. |
← → |
Staff writer or scholar or free lance writer. |
Staff writer or free lance writer who writes on many topics. |
| Language | Ranges from plodding and pretentious to lucid. | Jargon or technical language may be used. | Geared to any literate audience. | Simple language. |
| Purpose | Reports on original research or presents critical analysis. |
← → |
Provides general news. Gives brief updates in a specific field. |
Entertains reader. Sell products. Promotes a viewpoint. |
| Sources Cited | Always cited in notes or bibliographies |
← → |
Sometimes vaguely referred to. | Rarely cited. |
| Advertising | If any, usually book reviews or job announcements. |
← → |
Promotes a variety of products and services. | Promotes a variety of products and services. |
| Publishers | Most sponsored by professional organizations or academic presses. |
← → |
Usually produced commercially. | Usually produced commercially. |
| Indexing | Indexed in subject-specific sources such as Social Sciences Index, ERIC. |
← → |
Indexed in general indexes like WilsonSelect, Reader’s Guide. | Indexed in general indexes like WilsonSelect, Reader’s Guide. |
In EBSCO databases like Academic Search Ultimate, on the main search page, “Limit your results” by checking Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed) Journals.
If your database does not have that feature, check the full text article for the following characteristics: