Distinguishing characteristics of articles in scholarly journals
- written by and for scholars and researchers (often containing highly technical language)
- contain reports of research results published for the first time
- usually cover a narrowly-defined topic
- always signed; frequently written by more than one author
- usually have a long, descriptive title
- usually lengthy
- common format: abstract, introduction and review of previous research, methods,
results, discussion, conclusion, bibliography
Sample scholarly reference: Hudson, Valerie M. “Birth Order of World Leaders: An Exploratory Analysis of Effects on Personality and Behavior.” Political Psychology v. 11 (Sept. 1990) p. 583-601.
Distinguishing characteristics of articles in popular magazines
- written for general public, usually by journalists
- provide news, reports of research originally published elsewhere, and commentaries
- often unsigned
- often have “catchy” titles
- frequently include eye-catching photos and graphics
- usually no longer than a few pages
- rarely include bibliographies
Sample popular reference: “Oldest Siblings Show Slight IQ Advantage.” Science News July 7, 2007 p. 14.