A Guide to Library Research:
Types of Periodicals

Julie Still, Reference Librarian
Revised October 2001
CSS Code Updated December 2005

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

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

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