Subject Guides: Magazines vs Journals
How can you tell the difference between magazines and scholarly journals? Use the chart below.
If you need additional help, please Ask a Librarian.
| Magazines | Peer-Reviewed Journals | |
| What does it look like? | Usually glossy, with lots of colorful illustrations and advertisements | More serious looking; illustrations are usually in the form of charts and graphs; little or no advertising |
| Who wrote the article? | A journalist or freelance writer | A researcher or expert in the field |
| Is a peer-review process used? | No | Yes (the editor asks the author's peers, other experts in the field, to review the article and approve it as meeting a high standard of research.) |
| Who is the intended audience? | General public | Other scholars, professionals, or students in the field |
| What is the purpose of the articles? | To inform or entertain | To report scholarly (original) research and experiments |
| What kind of language is used? | General- no specialized knowledge is needed | Jargon of the discipline |
| Does the author cite his or her sources? | Sometimes, but not usually | Sources are always cited in footnotes, endnotes, or bibliographies |
| Examples | People Time US News & World Report Psychology Today |
Journal of Abnormal Psychology The Explicator Journal of Criminal Justice E |