Differences Between Scholarly and Popular Sources

Instructors will often require students to use a combination of sources for their research:

  • books and videos
  • popular articles from newspapers and magazines
  • scholarly articles from journals
  • websites
  • etc.

This module will focus on the difference between popular and scholarly articles so we can get better at recognizing them.

 

Scholarly articles

Scholarly articles are also sometimes called academic, professional, or peer-reviewed articles. Scholarly articles aren't the type of publication we find at the airport or in the grocery store because they're often quite expensive and they're written for a specific audience. Below are some characteristics that help us identify scholarly articles.

  • Scholarly articles are written for scholars or experts, and they're focused on academic disciplines such as English, Physics, Accounting, Nursing, etc. (Note: you may need a dictionary handy when reading scholarly articles.) Some examples are:
    • New England Journal of Medicine
    • Music Quarterly
    • Nature
    • Journal of Accounting Research
  • Scholarly articles are written by scholars or experts in the subject, and the author's credentials are usually listed. The credentials might include their titles (PhD, MD, etc.) and where they work. These articles are often submitted and then reviewed by a group of other scholars familiar with the subject before they are accepted for publication. This system is called peer-review or refereeing.
  • Scholarly journals have few color photos or advertisements. They don't make their money from advertisements; instead, they're often published by universities or academic associations, and they might have very high subscription costs.
  • Scholarly articles are long and in-depth. Articles cover case studies, report research, or present academic issues. They may include charts and graphs.
  • Scholarly articles include bibliographies or lists of references, and these are often quite lengthy. Scholars want us to know where they got their information so we can refer to those same sources.
  • Scholarly journals are usually published quarterly (four times a year) or monthly, although there are a few exceptions. (IRIS 4-2)

Scholarly article characteristics showing abstract, acceptance date, author's credentials, and references

(IRIS 4-2)

Popular articles

Popular articles are usually found in newspapers and magazines. These are the types of publications we find in grocery stores, at the airport, or in bookstores. Below are some characteristics that help us identify popular articles.

  • Magazines and newspapers are written for the general public. They're the type of publication we might read on the bus, on a flight, or on vacation. Some examples are:
    • Rolling Stone
    • Time
    • Sports Illustrated
    • The New York Times
  • Magazine and newspaper articles are usually written by journalists or freelance writers.
  • Magazine articles have a lot of glossy photos, and both magazines and newspapers have advertisements because their purpose is to make money.
  • Magazine and newspaper articles are usually short and cover a wide range of topics. Sometimes they summarize research studies.
  • Magazine and newspaper articles usually don't have bibliographies or lists of references.
  • Newspapers are usually published daily, and magazines are usually published once a week or once a month. (IRIS 4-2)

Image of a popular magazine article

"Scholarly vs. Popular Sources (Canvas Module)" by Elena I. Maans Links to an external site., Bellevue College Library Media Center (Links to an external site.) is licensed under CC BY 4.0 (Links to an external site.)

IRIS 4-2: Copyright (c) 2008 IRIS 4-2 Washington State E-Learning Council. This material may be distributed only subject to the terms and conditions set forth in the IRIS 4-2 Open Publication License (the latest version is presently available at http://library.clark.edu/projects/iris-4-2 Links to an external site.) and TILT Open Publication License (copyright © 1998-2004 by The University of Texas System Digital Library).