| Scholarly | Popular | |
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| What’s in them? |
Articles presenting original research or events related to a specific discipline. |
Articles about current events and popular culture, opinion pieces, fiction, self-help tips.
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| Who writes them? | Professors, researchers, or professionals; credentials are usually stated in article. | Staff writers or free-lancers; names or credentials often not stated. |
| Who reads them? | Scholars (professors, researchers, students) knowledgeable about a specific discipline. | General public. |
| What do they look like? | Mostly text supported by black and white figures, graphs, tables, or charts; few advertisements. | Glossy, color photographs, easy-to-read layout, plenty of advertising. |
| What are their advantages? | Articles are usually critically evaluated by experts before they can be published (peer-reviewed).
Footnotes or bibliographies support research and point to further research on a topic. Authors describe methodology and supply data used to support research results. |
Written for non-specialists.
Timely coverage of popular topics and current events. Provide broad overview of topics. Good source for topics related to popular culture. |
| What are their disadvantages? | Articles often use technical jargon and can be difficult for non-specialists to read.
Scholarly journals are expensive and may not be as readily available. Research and review process take time; not as useful for current events or popular culture. |
Articles are selected by editors who may know very little about a topic.
Authors usually do not cite sources. Published to make a profit; the line between informing and selling may be blurred. |