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A Guide to Library Research:
Types of Periodicals

Julie Still, Reference Librarian

Popular

  • Easily purchased on newsstands
  • Articles written by staff writers or free lance writers
  • Glossy in appearance with color ads
  • Seldom include list of sources
  • Level of writing geared to general population

Examples:
Newsweek
People
Sports Illustrated
Vogue

Professional or Trade

  • Written for (and usually by) people in a specific line of work
  • Assumes some knowledge of the field
  • Not usually available on the newsstand
  • Sometimes list sources or bibliography
  • Often published by a professional association
Examples:
American Libraries
Mathematics Teacher
Police Chief
Principal

Substantive News

  • Often glossy in appearance with color illustrations
  • Sometimes list sources or bibliography
  • Usually available on the newsstand
  • Level of writing geared to educated or well-read audience
Examples:
Economist
National Geographic
Scientific American
Wilson Quarterly

Scholarly

  • Few illustrations other than charts and graphs
  • Articles written by scholars or researchers in the field
  • Always lists sources or bibliography
  • Reports on original research or experimentation
  • Often published by a university, research center or professional association

Examples:
American Economic Review
JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association
Modern Fiction Studies
Sex Roles: A Journal of Research

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