Types of Serials
(Periodicals, Journals and Magazines)
Whether hard copy or online, this guide with help you identify what you've got. You might also like the compact, visually appealing pdf version of this guide: Types of Serials (Periodicals/Journals/Magazines) [ 186.5 kb ]
Scholarly / Academic
- Written by: experts and researchers in the academic or professional community
- Audience: experts and researchers in the academic or professional community, including students
- Content: research and current thinking on a subject area
- Articles: are in-depth, covering case studies or report research. May include book reviews
- Advertising & images: contain no advertising or non essential images
- References: formal, often lengthy
Often peer reviewed or refereed (see Notes for more detail).
Trade / Professional
- Written by: practitioners, or journalists/writers with subject expertise
- Audience: people in a particular trade or profession
- Content: discussion of current events and matters specific to that industry or profession
- Articles: shorter, cover a wide range of topics. May include book reviews
- Advertising & images: contain photos, advertisements and graphics
- References: informal, often short, in some cases references may not be provided
Popular / General Interest
- Written by: journalists or writers who may have some subject expertise
- Audience: a general, non-academic audience
- Content: discussion of the ideas or current issues of society or a sector of society
- Articles: shorter, cover a wide range of topics. May include book reviews
- Advertising & images: photos, advertisements and graphics
- References: informal, often short, in some cases references may not be provided
Notes:
Peer reviewed or refereed describes the process used by publishers and editors of academic journals, whereby experts critique the articles to ensure the information is of a high quality. Not all scholarly/academic journals are peer reviewed.
Some databases enable a search to be limited to peer reviewed or scholarly/academic journals.
Not sure? The database Serials Directory indicates if a serial is an academic or scholarly publication and whether it is peer-reviewed.