Example
Note that cover art for scholarly publications is rather plain in comparison to the other types of resources you'll find.
Content
Articles recount original research, theory investigations, or field issue analyses. Article contents often follow a structure, such as abstract, method, discussion, and conclusion. Throughout the article, you may find tables, graphs, and in-text citations. These typically have few or no ads.
Audience
Because the articles are written with academic or technical jargon, the typical reader is someone with experience, a researcher, or a professional in the field.
Authors
Articles are often written by those like your professors, who are researchers, scholars, and/or professionals in the field. Somewhere in the article it likely lists the author's credentials and affiliations.
Accountability
The journal will have an editorial board or have a peer-review process before the publisher prints. The publisher will likely be a university, a scholarly press, or an academic organization.
Reference Use
There will always be references at the end or throughout as footnotes.
Where To Find
Example
Content
The article is about current news, trends, forecasts, or employment opportunities. Any ads inside will be relevant to the industry itself such as products or professional organizations.
Audience
Because it is written for those within a specific industry, trade, or organization, it may have some specialized terminology throughout.
Authors
The articles are written by practitioners in the field, industry professionals, or journalists with subject expertise.
Accountability
The publisher, who will be a commercial publisher or a professional organization, will have a paid editor.
Reference Use
There will sometimes be in-text citations or a short reference section in the article.
Where To Find
Example
Content
Articles appear sleek and glossy, often with inset pictures, enhanced text for easier skimming, and vibrant colors. Topics are typically framed in a popular culture context and articles are written for entertainment purposes. Ads, both inset and full page, are widely used throughout the publication.
Audience
The audience for a magazine article is the "average" person. They are typically written at a grade school reading level to accommodate a wide variety of readers.
Authors
Authors may or may not be known for magazine articles. Real names of some authors may be listed, while other articles may be attributed to "staff" writers or completely omit any reference to the article's author. Credentials are rarely listed.
Accountability
Magazines are written to make money. Freelance and staff writers are often paid on a per article basis, whereby they sign over their rights to the material in order to receive payment. A magazine's editorial board reviews content for audience appeal but not necessarily accuracy.
Reference Use
References may be listed occasionally. They may be noted in an image caption, as an example, but it is rare to find a formal References list in a magazine publication.
Where To Find
Example
Note that the appearance of a newspaper source differs from other sources. Newspapers may be stapled or folded, and are typically printed on newsprint. Newsprint paper lacks gloss or protective coating, so newspaper ink is more likely to stick on your fingers. Many newspapers are also printed in clearly defined columns.
Content
Newspapers are written to inform readers of current events, either locally or nationally. They may be published weekly or daily, and include factual as well as editorial information, obituaries, and community calendars. Ads are typically included, but isolated to certain areas or used in order to fill space. Ads may also be included as a separate insert after the paper was printed.
Audience
Newspaper articles are written for a general audience and are typically constructed at a grade school reading level.
Authors
Articles may be written by staff writers or members of a local community. Authors may or may not be listed with an article, or the article may note that it was obtained through another news outlet such as the AP news feed.
Accountability
Newspapers typically have an editor or team of editors. Editors may quickly fact check parts of articles or make adjustments based on grammar. There typically is no peer review process. The publication strategy of a newspaper is ultimately determined by the owning entity, whether that is an individual, group, or corporation.
Reference Use
Some articles may include references to source material, but there is no formal References list in a newspaper publication.
Where To Find