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Research and Library Introduction (ENGL 101 and 102)

Popular vs. Scholarly Sources

newspaper, book, and websiteYou'll probably have an assignment at some point that asks you to use "Scholarly or Academic or Peer-Reviewed, Refereed, or Evidence-Based" articles.

Understanding the different types of sources and when to use them in your research process will help you be a more efficient and effective researcher.

In a nutshell, if you know you want current information, or you are still gathering background information, encyclopedias (use even Wikipedia is a good start), newspaper or magazine articles might be your best bet even if they are generally not "scholarly".  If you need to support an important piece of your argument, using scholarly and reliable sources would be a good idea.  Trade or professional magazines or journals are designed for a specific audience--usually professionals in the field.  While not scholarly these can be really helpful in getting readable information on topic.  Psychology Today is a great example of a professional level magazine that is also very readable for non-professionals.

One last tip, you might find this short guide how to recognize characteristics of and efficiently read peer-reviewed journal articles handy!

So what is the difference between "Popular and Scholarly" resources anyway?  This short video will walk you through this process.

 

John M. Pfau Library at California State University, San Bernadino, "Popular vs. Scholarly"

Scholarly, Trade, & Popular Sources

Scholarly

Cover of new media & society journal. Black with a graphic and white text.

Popular

Issue Archive | Psychology Today

Trade 

NFLS Blog - Nicolet Federated Library System
Scholarly sources - books and journals - disseminate research and scholarly discussions among scholars (faculty, researchers, students) in a discipline.    Popular sources - magazines, newspapers, broadcast news, blogs, etc. - inform and entertain the general public.   Trade publications - are a combination of scholarly and popular sources that professionals in specific industries use to inform and share information about that industry with one another and those interested in the industry. 

What are the differences?

Scholarly

Volume 581 Issue 7806, 7 May 2020

Popular

Trade

Collection | Search | Museums Journal (All Holdings) | Asia Art ...
Purpose - why are they published?
To disseminate original research and scholarly discussions among scholars in a discipline.   To inform and entertain about current events and popular culture. To advance a profession or industry; to inform and share info about news, trends, technologies, best practices, and products for a specific industry or profession.   
Audience - who reads them?
Scholars, researchers, and students within a specific discipline.   General public. Members of a profession or trade.
Author - who writes them?
Scholars, professors, researchers, and professionals.  Their credentials are usually identified.     Journalists.  Author may not be named.   Professionals in the field; maybe be a journalist with subject expertise.  
Publisher - who publishes or produces them?
Scholarly book or journal publishers, university press, or professional association (National Communication Association - NCA) Usually commercial groups. Usually associations or commercial groups.
Content - what do they look like? Are they readable by many?

Mostly text; may have black and white figures, graphs, tables, or charts; few advertisements.  

Highly specialized; includes specialized vocabulary and jargon that is readily understood by researchers in the field, but not an average reader.  

Some text; glossy, color photographs; easy to read layout; lots of advertisements.  

General language is used; articles may be read and understood by most people.

Some text; photographs; some graphics and charts; advertisements targeted to professionals in the field.

Specialized; includes jargon that is best understood by professionals in the field.  
What are their Advantages?
  • Articles are usually evaluated by experts before publication (peer reviewed or refereed).
  • References, footnotes, or bibliographies support research and point to further research about the topic.  
  • Authors describe methods and provide data to support research results.  
  • Written for everyone.
  • Timely coverage of current events and popular topics.
  • Some have editors who fact check and approve the content before publication.
  • Timely coverage of industry trends.
  • Sometimes contain short bibliographies.
  • Shorter articles that are informal and provide practical tips and tricks.  
What are their Disadvantages?
  • Specialized vocabulary that can be difficult for non-specialists to read.
  • Research and review process takes time; not as useful for current events and technologies.  
  • Scholarly journals are expensive and may not be readily available.
  • Articles selected by editors who may know little about the topic.
  • Authors usually do not cite their sources.
  • Quick deadlines mean content review is limited; Stories may come from other sources (ex. wire services) making it difficult to review the content.
  • Published to make a profit; the line between informing and selling may be blurred.  
  • Not peer reviewed, although author is usually a professional in the field.
  • Use of specialized terminology may limit readability. 
  • Evidence drawn from personal experience or common knowledge not rigorous research.  
  • Articles may be biased to support an industry or company.

Credits:  Content on this page was adapted from University of Washington Libraries - Savvy Info Consumers: What are Scholarly, Popular, & Trade Publications and University of Wisconsin Whitewater Libraries - (Research Guide) English 102: College Writing: Evaluating