1. Periodicals
Understanding the i differences between popular magazines, trade magazines, newspapers, & scholarly journals
By A. Sobol

2. Periodicals
Today, periodicals are still published in print, but are also available online (for a subscription fee as well! Nothing is free!)
Regardless of how you access a periodical, it’s still a periodical!

3. Periodicals Published at regular intervals – often frequently: weekly
bi-weekly
monthly
bi-annually

4. Types of periodicals Magazines
Trade – written for people in a certain industry/business
Restaurant News
Popular - written for general audience, meant to entertain & inform
People, Time, Seventeen
Newspapers – meant to inform general audience, very current-events oriented
Scholarly Journals (a.k.a. Academic Journals, Peer-Reviewed Journals)

5. Periodical Databases Periodical databases we subscribe to:
Articles from
Newspapers
Magazines
Scholarly journals
Offer access to a wide variety of periodicals, covering many subjects
Current-events oriented
Periodical databases we subscribe to:
Proquest
Opposing Viewpoints
SIRS Researcher
Custom Newspapers
New York State Newspapers
Business & Company ASAP
National Newspaper Index

6. Periodicals

7. Scholarly Journals published by research institutions or universities
very academic in nature
usually reporting first-hand on some sort of research study
articles written by researchers, college professors – author’s name always given, along with credentials
articles reviewed by a panel before being published – this is called “peer review”
all articles will have a bibliography/works cited and/or footnotes so all facts can be verified
No advertisements

10. Popular magazines Secondary reports or discussions
Intended for a general audience
Author not always given – often a professional writer who may or may not have subject expertise, articles reviewed by staff editors
Bibliographies almost never given
Layout is easy on the eye, lots of color photos & advertisements
Meant to inform on a basic level & entertain
Not necessarily current-events oriented
Can be published weekly or monthly
Many popular magazines are specialized & devoted to one subject: cooking, travel, sports, fashion, celebrity gossip, home decorating
Some magazines try to touch on many of these subjects in one issue

13. Trade magazines Meant for people in a certain business/industry
Reports on industry trends, new products or techniques, organizational news
Articles written by news staff or contributing authors, reviewed by staff editors
Some articles may contains short bibliographies
Some ads – all targeted toward particular business
Usually published monthly or quarterly

16. Newspapers Intended for general audience
Reports on current events & issues – local, national, international
Articles written by staff writer, journalist, columnist
Bibliographies almost never given
Articles reviewed by staff editor
Brief articles, unless feature/cover story
Usually published daily or weekly

19. Practice exercise Count off by 8
Together with the members of your group, sort your periodicals into four piles:
Newspapers
Trade magazines
Popular magazines
Scholarly journals