Differences at a Glance
Differences at a Glance
Scholarly/Academic Journals |
Trade/Professional Journals |
Magazines |
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| Print versions are usually plain-looking, with densely printed text and few photographs. May contain ads related to academia or the subject area. | Print version ranges from plain to colorful. May contain ads, though these are usually related to the profession or trade | Usually visually flashy. May contain lots of ads and be very colorful |
| Journal websites often not free to the public to read. Articles are often presented in PDF format. | Websites may or may not be free to the public. Articles may be offered as PDF, but more often as web pages. | Usually free to read online. Rarely available in PDF format. |
| Articles written by experts (typically, professors or researchers); author's credentials (degree, title, affiliation) and contact information are typically provided | Articles may be written by professional journalists, freelance writers, or people working in a particular profession or field (farmers, artists, veteranarians, business people, etc.) | Articles typically written by professional journalists, staff, or freelance writers. Authors may or may not have expertise in the topic being discussed |
| Written for readers who already know a lot about the topic; specialized vocabulary, long sentences | Written for readers who work in a particular field or profession; may contain some vocabulary or jargon specific to the profession | Written for a general audience; some may assume a college education, others may be very easy to read. |
| Featured articles are usually peer-reviewed (the articles are checked & approved by other experts in the field) | Articles are not peer-reviewed but are edited for accuracy and style | Articles are not peer-reviewed but are edited for accuracy and style |
| Articles may be long—anywhere from 4 to 40 pages. | Articles usually not more than a few pages. | Depends on type of magazine; some have longer articles, others very short articles |
| Typically published no more than 4 times a year | Typically published weekly or monthly | Typically published weekly or monthly. Newspapers may be published daily. Websites may be updated frequently |
| Articles usually include footnotes/endnotes and a bibliography/references | Articles may include brief bibliographies or citations | Articles rarely have citations. |
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In our online databases you may see this icon:
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In our online databases you may see this icon:
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In our online databases you may see these icons:
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Examples:
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Examples:
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Examples:
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