Check with your instructor to determine if articles from non-scholarly publications are acceptable; oftentimes instructors restrict research to scholarly (or peer reviewed) sources.
Scholarly Journals (or peer reviewed)
Popular Magazines
Examples
Sociological Review
Economic Botany
Journal of Asian Studies
New England Journal of Medicine
PC World
Newsweek
Psychology Today
National Geographic
Content and Format
Lengthy, signed articles; usually contain an abstract summarizing the main points
Reports of original research
In-depth analysis of topics
Statistical information
Substantial book reviews
Refereed/peer reviewed to ensure quality standards of scholarship
Short articles, sometimes signed
Current events and news
Brief, factual information
Interviews
Some brief book reviews
Language and Audience
College-level vocabulary
Specialized language of the discipline
Written for other academics and experts
Non-technical vocabulary
Written for general readers
Authors
Researchers, academics, scholars
Look for credentials, e.g., Ph.D. or affiliation with a university
Journalists
Sources
Footnotes and bibliographies
Extensive documentation
Few footnotes
Frequently no bibliography
Publishers
Professional organizations, universities, research institutes, and scholarly presses
