Scholarly Sources
Scholarly Articles (Journals)
- Are written by and for scholars or researchers (historians, doctors, biologists, etc.)
- Are longer articles and usually include research
- Include references
- Are often refereed or peer reviewed (reviewed by editors and/or other experts before publication)
Popular Articles (Magazines)
- Are written by journalists or freelance writers for a general audience
- Rarely provide references
- Written for the general public
- Tend to be shorter than journal articles
Here's a chart prepared by our former library director which illustrates points of comparison between the two:
