| Scholarly Journals | Trade Publications | News and Popular Magazines | Academic Reference Books | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Original research or arguments that contribute to scholarly debate. | Practical information for members of a profession, industry, or organization: news, trends, products, research summaries. | Information, entertainment, news, and opinions for the general public. | Overviews of topics and sub-topics, factual information, and neutral perspectives on scholarly debates or theories. |
| Writing Style / Audience | Specialized vocabulary or jargon. Written for scholars and specialists. | Specialized vocabulary or jargon. Written for professionals. | Vocabulary understood by anyone with an upper elementary education. Written for consumer groups and the general public. | Specialized vocabulary, but with definitions or explanations provided. Written for college students, specialists, and scholars. |
| Authors | Scholars or researchers. Academic credentials, degrees, or affiliation are almost always provided. | Journalists or professionals, industry, or organization. Credentials often provided. | Journalists. Credentials are rarely provided. | Scholars or experts who may be professional writers or journalists. Credentials, degrees, or affiliation are sometimes provided. |
| References / Bibliography | Documentation of sources, quotes, facts, and ideas is required. Must be cited in footnotes or a bibliography. | Documentation of sources not required, though there are sometimes brief bibliographies of further readings. | Documentation of sources is rare. | Documentation is common. Most offer references or recommended reading after each entry or article, or compiled at the end of the entire source. |
| Advertisements | Few, if any, advertisements. | Moderate number of advertisements targeted to the interests of the members of a profession, industry, or organization. | Large number of advertisements for a wide variety of products that appeal to the target population. | No advertisements. |