12 Basic IQ Skills: Popular vs. Scholarly Periodicals and Peer-review

The four pillars of IQ! Find Retrieve Analyze Use Determining if a source is popular or scholarly is part of the “Analyze” area.

What are periodicals? Any publication that is released “periodically” – Magazines – Newspapers – Journals – Trade publications

ScholarlyPopular AuthorAn expert in the field, often an academic. Lists credentials in a brief biographical statement. A journalist, may not even be credited LengthLonger and more in-depthShorter and more general SourcesProvides a bibliography of sources citedAcknowledges quotes but does not cite sources IntentTo explore a scholarly topic, research project, or other academic topic To entertain or inform a broad audience PresentationIllustrations limited to graphs and tables, straightforward and plain Glossy paper with photographs and other illustrations AudienceAcademics, researchers, and other experts General public LanguageAcademic language; uses specialized vocabulary from the discipline Accessible language, avoids jargon Editing and Publication Articles are reviewed by a jury of academic peers before acceptance for publication (peer-review) Articles are reviewed by the editor of the magazine.

What is peer-review? “A process by which submitted manuscripts are evaluated by scholars in the subject discipline in order to determine whether they are worthy to be published” (Badke, p. 10).

Where can I find periodicals in the library? Reading room (current periodicals) In the stacks (bound periodicals) Full-text online through the library’s subscription databases.

Using EBSCO A-to-Z

EBSCO A-Z

Peer Review in our databases

Sources and Resources – William B. Badke, Research Strategies: Finding Your Way Through the Information Fog, 3rd ed., New York: iUniverse, Inc., 2008 – Scholarly Journals v. Popular Magazine Articles (UTSA Libraries): html html – Scholarly Journals, Trade Publications, and Popular Magazines (ProQuest): cholarly.pdf cholarly.pdf

Questions?