Popular vs Scholarly Sources In Academic Writing

Gathering resources for any research paper, project, and even news article necessitates adequate research. However, research is not limited to the use of books alone. And it is not uncommon for people to source information from article excerpts and periodicals such as magazines and journals – significant sources of scholarly information.

When it comes to research, students are almost always torn between using a scholarly source vs popular source. For this reason and many more, we want to clear the air between research using a popular source vs scholarly source. Depending on your professor’s requirements, you’ll need one or both of these methods for your research.

The main difference between popular and scholarly sources is the intended audience. Scholarly sources focus on scholars, scientists, researchers, and advanced students. But unlike scholarly sources, popular sources are not focused on these groups of people. Popular sources concentrate on reaching the general public.

Definition for Scholarly and Popular Articles

You’d agree that popular or scholarly articles are very reliable sources of information to consult for project research. But what is the true definition for these sources? And how can we define popular and scholarly sources in the simplest of terms?

Scholarly sources are intended for use in conducting in-depth research. It contains specialized vocabulary and makes references to other sources extensively. This source also has its content reviewed by academic peers who ensure that all methods are reliable and findings valid. With scholarly sources, you get the answers to “So What” questions in academic writings. Scholarly sources are also basic building blocks for connecting the dots between issues, variables, and events.

Popular sources are intended for the general public. They are written to persuade, entertain, or inform a broad audience. They help you answer the when, what, who, and where questions. Popular sources are also important when it comes to finding information about current issues or events. There’s a range for popular articles, vis, research-oriented (without complete citations to sources of information) to agenda-driven or special interest publications.

Differences Between Scholarly Resources and Popular Resources

From the prior discussion on scholarly and popular sources, you may have noticed some of the subtle difference between popular and scholarly sources. So, what is the difference between scholarly and popular sources? Well, it’s time to explore these two different types of publications!

We will explore these differences in terms of author, sources and documentation, purpose, editorial process, structure, frequency of publication, illustrations, language, the intended audience, and the usefulness and value of research. So, are you ready to explore the difference between scholarly and popular articles? I bet you are! Let’s ride on!

  • Author
    When it comes to writing scholarly journal articles, only researchers or scholars with the required affiliations and credentials are allowed to write the articles. On the other hand, popular sources are written by journalists or staff writers – often generalists.
  • Sources and Documentation
    All the sources are cited in a scholarly article, making the articles have extensive lists of references, bibliographies, or notes. In popular publications, however, there are no formal citations, increasing the original sources’ obscurity.
  • Purpose
    Scholarly articles are written to present findings from research as well as to expand knowledge in a specific field or discipline. On the other hand, popular publications are written to entertain and inform the general public about popular or current events, issues, etc.
  • Editorial Process
    The editorial process for a scholarly article is quite arduous as it requires a team of experts in a relevant field to conduct a blind peer review. Popular articles, on the other hand, are edited and reviewed by a single editor.
  • Structure of Articles
    Scholarly articles are usually length, often over ten pages long. They are divided into sections such as the methodology, literature review, results, discussion, and conclusion. On the other hand, popular publications are usually a mix of both in-depth articles and short ones. These article types are also written on many different subjects.
  • Frequency of Publication
    Scholarly articles generally take more time to write and review. Because of this, their frequency of publication is less than that of popular articles. Scholarly sources have a publication frequency of monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. Popular sources, on the other hand, are more frequently published – weekly or monthly.
  • Illustrations
    Scholarly articles are usually accompanied by illustrations that are complex in a bid to display the data of research. These illustration aids include detailed tables, graphs, and appendices. Popular sources, on the other hand, use colorful graphics and photos for illustration. Of course, these illustration aids are “gentle” to the eyes, highly visual, and entertaining.
  • Language
    Scholarly sources use complex academic writing styles. And because they target a specific audience, they employ the use of technical terms or discipline-specific jargon. Unlike scholarly sources, popular sources are not written for a particular audience. They are therefore written in terms that are simple and non-technical.
  • Intended Audience
    Scholarly sources are written for consumption by other scholars, scientists, advanced students, and researchers. Popular sources, on the other hand, are written for consumption by the general public.
  • Titles
    The titles of scholarly sources usually contain words such as “Annals,” “Journal of,” “Review of,” etc. The titles may also include the subject area/discipline and may be lengthy. On the other hand, popular sources have straightforward titles and may be as short as just one word.
  • Usefulness and Value in Research
    Scholarly sources are well-organized and can be used for original research studies. It gives in-depth analysis and details of the subject matter. On the other hand, popular sources have limited value and usefulness in research. However, they are useful in following current trends.

So, should you go for scholarly or popular sources in your research? The answer? It depends on the purpose of your research and/or on the guideline given to you. In brief, let’s consider the highlighted differences of a scholarly or popular periodical.

Scholarly sources:

  1. Are written by experts for a specific audience.
  2. Explain/analyze the original research.
  3. Have a lot of technical jargon that is particular to a discipline’s specific vocabulary.
  4. Correctly cite and document all resources used.
  5. Are usually published in a corporately revised journal or any peer-reviewed academic book.

Popular sources:

  1. Are written for the general audience.
  2. Use very accessible and everyday language that is common and not necessarily technical.
  3. Can be written by any journalist or freelance writer.
  4. Do not necessarily cite all resources and documents used.

Similarities Between Scholarly and Popular Articles

So, we have clearly defined scholarly resources and popular resources and have also explored their differences as well. But are there any similarities between scholarly and popular articles? If yes, what are they?

Well, the subject of the similarities between scholarly vs popular sources is one that is not extensively discussed. This is because they are inherently different. But does that mean that there are no similarities between them? Well, there are. So, here are some of the similarities between popular vs scholarly sources.

  1. They are both writing to pass information.
  2. They are good sources of recent updates.
  3. They are both used as sources of information in schools depending on the type of research or instructors.
  4. They both have intrinsic academic value.
  5. Beneficial for generating ideas and background information on a given topic.
  6. Both can help you to come up with project ideas in specific fields: geology research topics, for example.

Scholarly or Popular Periodical – FAQ

Periodicals are scholarly journals, magazines, newsletters, and newspapers published at regular intervals. It could be published daily, such as a daily newspaper; weekly, such as weekly magazines; and quarterly, such as quarterly journals.

Periodical magazines are written for readers who are not expected to have specialized training or knowledge. In other words, the general audience is always the target of periodical magazines. Journals, a type of periodical, are written for readers with specialized knowledge. Uninitiated readers may find it difficult to comprehend whatever information is being passed via specific journals. This is the major difference between scholarly vs popular periodicals.

How to Find Periodicals?

An excellent starting point is the Library’s Subject Research Guides list of databases. Progressively, you can then select the subject that is all similar to your topic. Well, if you can’t do it yourself, you should ask a librarian for assistance. They would be able to help you determine how and where the scholarly publication is, or if you would need more information about a magazine. Academic writing services can be helpful as well.

Scholarly Sources Vs Popular Sources – Any Examples?

Some popular scholarly journals include The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), The Journal of American History, American Economic Review, Nature, and lots more. Popular magazines include Sports Illustrated, Forbes, Time, etc.

Is National Geographic a Scholarly Article?

The short answer? No. National Geographic is not a conventional academic journal. It is a popular magazine. Nat Geo is a frequently used reference when it comes to getting insights into different regions or for art projects. It’s more fun to read than technical journals, and when it comes to Geography, it’s one of the best sources of information.

So, that’s it! You’ve gotten the full popular vs scholarly gist and can now tell their differences right off the bat! You’ve just read everything you need to know about popular and scholarly articles! Congratulations!

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