Introduction
It's important to understand the differences between popular and scholarly sources. Popular sources are written for a general popular audience in more frequently published periodicals like magazines or newspapers. Scholarly sources are typically provide in-depth, narrow analysis of a specific topic in a discipline, published in peer-reviewed academic journals, and written by scholars. Use this page to explore the differences between these types of sources.
Terms to Know
- Scholarly sources: publications intended for an academic audience
- Peer-review: a formal process in which works are evaluated by fellow experts in a field prior to publication
- Popular sources: publications intended for a general public audience
Scholarly, Trade, and Popular Articles
What are some characteristics of scholarly sources?
Scholarly sources generally share the following characteristics:
Purpose |
To advance knowledge in a field of study, often in the form of original research or analysis |
Format |
Journal articles, books, book chapters |
Authors |
Experts in the field, such as professors, scientists, etc. |
Language |
Text-heavy, with advanced language and terminology from the discipline |
Sources |
Includes citations and a bibliography, works cited, or references list |
What are some characteristics of popular sources?
Popular sources generally share the following characteristics:
Purpose |
To entertain, inform, or persuade depending on audience |
Format |
Periodicals like newspaper or magazines and some websites |
Authors |
Written by journalists or staff writers and reviewed by an editor |
Language |
Easy to understand language that's intended for the general public |
Sources |
Refers to sources through quotes or links, but does not list references |
