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Evaluating Journal Articles
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Scholarly (Refereed, Peer-Reviewed) Journal Articles
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Non-Scholarly (Popular) Journal Articles
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| Definition | Scholarly articles are "peer-reviewed" by other experts in the field. Are also sometimes called "refereed articles." | Non-scholarly articles are meant to inform or entertain readers rather than provide in-depth analysis. |
| Content | Content of articles usually reports on original research or experimentation. | Content of articles often reports on other research or events rather than presenting original research. |
| Bibliography | Articles usually list references in footnotes or endnotes. | Articles are seldom footnoted and the source of information is seldom given. |
| Illustrations | Illustrations, if any, are usually graphs and charts that support the subject content. | Often are illustrated with glossy or color photographs. |
| Authors | Articles are written by experts in the field. | Authors are usually on the staff of the magazine or are freelance writers. Author's name is often not supplied. |
| Length/Depth | Articles are generally long and contain in-depth coverage of the topic. | Articles are often short and intended to provide an overview of a topic rather than an in-depth analysis. |
| Advertising | Contain few if any advertisements. | Usually contain many advertisements. |
| Publisher | Frequently, articles are published by a scholarly professional organization (e.g. American Chemical Society, American Psychological Association). | Publishers are marketing to the general public and usually make their publications available in stores and newsstands. |
| Language | Authors write in the language of their discipline. Readers are assumed to have some knowledge of the field. | Articles are directed towards the general public and written in non-technical language. |
