Research Help: Journals & Magazines Explained

Magazines:

Usually referred to as general interest or popular magazines. They are written for the general public and often focus on news, offer entertainment, or provide brief information about diverse topics.

• Rarely include citations
• Often heavily illustrated 
• Often with many colourful advertisements
• Written for non-experts (often by non-experts)

Helpful when you need:

• Analysis of current events
• Personal narratives and opinions
• Interviews of well-known people
• Reviews of products, movies, and performance

How to recognize in a database?

• look for tip-off words such as:
  • Magazine
  • Digest
  • Illustrated
  • Popular
  • Weekly
  • Names of popular interests or hobbies (e.g., sports, games, science)
  • Target audience (e.g., consumer, teens, New York )

Journals:

Journals are intended for academic research or members of a profession. Journal articles are written for experts or college students in the academic field or discipline.They include original research, critical analysis, and review of prior research.

• Also referred to as scholarly journals or research journals.
• Author's name is listed with affiliations/credentials (universities associated with, other writings, etc.)
• Often peer-reviewed (but not always)
• Usually lengthy.
• Include a list of references at the end.
• Examples: Journal of Applied Psychology, New England Journal of Medicine

​Helpful when you need:

• critical anyalsis
• in-depth explanations

How to recognize in a database?

• Look for the following words in the title:
  • Journal
  • Review
  • Studies
  • Research
  • Quarterly
• Has a reference list at the end