The table below shows which characteristics are more commonly associated with scholarly or popular sources. Both scholarly and popular sources can be appropriate for your research purposes, depending on your research question, but research assignments will often require you to consult primarily with scholarly materials.
| Scholarly | Popular | |
|---|---|---|
| Authors: | Scholar or researcher in a field with stated credentials and affiliations | Staff writer, journalist, often a generalist |
| Examples: | Journal of Cinema & Media Studies, New England Journal of Medicine, Nature, Educational Psychologist; books from University presses such as Oxford University Press and the University of California Press | Wikipedia, CNN.com, About.com; People Magazine, USA Today; bestselling books; books from popular publishers like Penguin and Random House |
| Purpose: | To present research findings and expand knowledge in a discipline or specific field of study | To inform about current or popular events, issues, or popular culture; to entertain |
| Language: | Complex; follows academic writing style; includes discipline-specific jargon or technical terms | Easier to read; defines specialized terms |
| Format: | Almost always include: abstracts, literature reviews, methodologies, results, and conclusions | A mix of short and in-depth articles on a wide variety of subjects |
| Citations: | Include bibliographies, citations, and footnotes that follow a particular academic style guide | No formal citations included; may or may not informally attribute sources in text |
| Before publication: | Evaluated by peers (other scholars) | Edited by in-house editors or not edited at all |
| Audience: | Scholars, researchers, scientists, advanced students | General readers; shouldn't require any special background |
| Design: | Mostly text, with some tables and charts; very little photography; no advertising | Glossy images, attractive design; photo illustrations, and advertising are more common |
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