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CHEMISTRY 4600 Winter 2019

Course Guide for Sharon Brewer's Class

Information

Articles in popular magazines and trade magazines are not peer reviewed.  Study the table in the box below to learn about criteria used to differentiate popular magazines, trade magazines and scholarly journals.

Criteria Used to Differentiate Periodicals

These general guidelines can help you tell the difference between popular magazines, trade publications, and scholarly journals. Keep in mind that not every source fits neatly into one category. If you're unsure whether a publication is suitable for your assignment, feel free to ask at the Research Help Desk or check with your instructor.

Comparing Types of Publications

Criteria

Popular Magazines

Professional or Trade Magazines

Academic/Scholarly Journals
Intended
Audience

• general public

• people working in the field

• post-secondary students

• researchers and academics

• post-secondary students
Author(s)

• staff journalists

• freelance journalists or writers

• people working in the field

• freelance journalists or writers

• academics and researchers in the field
Article Selection • editor assigns and/or chooses articles • editor assigns and/or chooses articles • editorial board of researchers/academics
• "peer review" or "referee" committee
Type of Research • usually secondary reporting of research
• some original research (general public concerns)		 • usually secondary reporting of research
• some original research		 • mostly original research
Purpose • provide general information or entertainment • usually secondary reporting of research
• some original research		 • mostly original research
References • may mention sources in text, but no formal citations (i.e., bibliography) • may have a short bibliography of references • contain bibliographies, footnotes, endnotes, and/or works cited
Advertisements • many general ads • ads are usually related to the industry • may promote upcoming conferences or publications
• very few, if any, commercial advertisements
Appearance • designed to be eye-catching and attractive, glossy pages, colourful pictures • designed to be eye-catching and attractive, glossy pages, colourful pictures • serious and plain-looking; few pictures; may have graphs/charts to illustrate concepts
Writing Style • general language
• informal writing style		 • includes terminology specific to the field
• more formal writing style than popular magazines, but less formal than scholarly journals		 • full of terminology specific to the field
• formal writing style
Examples • Newsweek
• National Geographic
• Maclean's		 • Nursing BC
• CA Magazine
• Advertising Age		 • JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association
• International Review of Social History
• Canadian Journal of Political Science

Tips for Identifying Scholarly Articles Online

When you're looking at a full-text article online, it can be harder to tell if it's scholarly—especially if you don’t have the whole journal in front of you. Here are some quick clues to help:

  1. Check for a bibliography or reference list at the end of the article.
  2. Length matters—if the article is less than half a page, it’s probably not a research article.
  3. Look for author credentials (e.g., PhD, university affiliation).
  4. Does the publication title include the word “journal”? That’s often a sign it’s scholarly.
  5. Use database filters—many article databases let you limit your search to “peer-reviewed” or “scholarly” journals.
  6. Refer to the comparison chart above to help evaluate the article’s features.