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Is It Scholarly? Identifying Scholarly and Non-Scholarly Sources

Is It Scholarly? Identifying Scholarly and Non-Scholarly Sources

Trade/Professional Sources

Trade & Professional Sources

Trade and professional sources are periodicals published in print or online with the intention of exchanging or marketing ideas, products, or services to a specific industry or type of trade, business or profession.

Some characteristics of trade and professional sources include:

  • Trade and industry journals typically contain advertising content focused on the industry in question with little if any general-audience advertising.
  • They also generally contain industry-specific job notices, of great interest to many readers.
  • Many trade publications can also be considered news magazines with a very specific topical focus.

Examples of Professional Sources