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Scholarly and Popular Materials
When conducting research it is important to distinguish between journal articles and magazine articles. Journal articles are typically referred to as "scholarly," while magazine articles are usually considered "popular". A third category, "trade" magazines or journals, are written for professionals in a particular field but are not strictly research related. Below are additional criteria to consider when differentiating between journals and magazines.
Criteria | Scholarly Journal | Popular Magazine | Trade Magazine/Journal |
|---|---|---|---|
Sample Cover |  |  |  |
Audience | Academics and professionals | General public | People in the business |
Authors | Experts or specialists (PhD). Unpaid. | Journalists, staff, writers, or freelance writers. Paid. | Staff writers, industry specialists, or vendor representatives. Paid. |
Editorial Review | Journal editorial board and peer reviewers. Unpaid. | Professional editors. Paid. | Professional editors. Paid. |
References/Works cited | Almost always | Rarely | Sometimes |
Example Journal | Journal of Food Science and Technology | Bon Appétit | Restaurant Business |
|---|---|---|---|
Stated Purpose | Publishing technical and research papers linking food composition, food processing, and food biochemistry...Promoting new knowledge and techniques in the food sciences, serving both the industrial and research communities. | "Offers 'life through the lens of food' — cooking in, dining out, culture, travel, entertainment, shopping and design." | "Leading media brand in the commercial food service industry with a focus on entrepreneurship, innovation, and growth... Capitalize on trends, new concepts, changes in consumer tastes, new purchasing strategies, and peers' best practices" |
Example Article Title | "Assessing Textural Changes of Breaded Fat Fried Chicken Nuggets During Post-Frying Holdings Under Infrared Heat-Lamp Using Acoustic-Mechanical Techniques" | "Seven Common Fried Chicken Mistakes - and How to Avoid Them" | "UCLA hospitals go to antibiotic-free meats" |
Price | $3,730/year (12 issues) | $40/year (12 issues) | $199/year (12 issues) |
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