Characteristics of Academic Journals, Popular Magazines, and Newspapers

Academic Journals

Popular Magazines

Newspapers

Value & Uses

Reports of original research
In-depth analysis of topics
Lengthy articles
Statistical info

Current events & news
Brief, factual info
Short articles
Interviews

News stories
Current info
Local & regional focus
Analysis & opinion of current events

Audience

Scholars, professionals, students

General Public

General Public

Language

College-level writing & vocabulary
Specialized language of discipline

Non-technical vocabulary
Often simple language

Non-technical vocabularly
Written for a general, educated audience

Authors

Researchers, academics, scholars

Journalists

Journalists

Articles reviewed and selected by

Editors & referees

Editors

Editors

Documentation

Footnotes & bibliographies
Documentation often extensive

Original sources can be obscure

Sources rarely cited

Publishers

Professional organizations, universities, research institutes, scholarly presses

Commercial/trade publisher

Commercial/trade publisher

Graphics

Graphs, charts, & tables
Ads are very rare

Many graphics & photos
Many full-page color ads

Photos, graphics, & charts
Many ads

Examples

Communication Quarterly
Media Psychology
Public Relations Review

Time
Newsweek
People

New York Times, LA Times, Seattle Post-Intelligencer

Access Tools
Ask a Librarian for further details!

Some from Expanded Academic Index, but most from specialized indexes like Communication Abstracts, PsychINFO

Expanded Academic Index, Readers Guide, Alternative Press Index

Lexis-Nexis, National Newspapers, Ethnic Newswatch, individual paper indexes