Periodicals are publications issued more than once a year and usually contain dozens of articles in each issue. Publication frequency ranges from daily to annually and may change over time. Each periodical has a title but it too may change over time. Finding articles has always been a challenge for researchers.
Some periodicals are produced only in print, some only in electronic format, and some use both means for distributing information. Periodical publishers also come in a wide variety types with different goals and different audiences for their publications. The chart below lists key features of periodical publications and will help you identify the different types of periodicals you may find in a library.
When using article databases instead of printed publications, there are no physical issues with cover pages, tables of contents or indexes, for the searcher to see and touch. Deciding which articles are suitable for academic research and inclusion in research papers is a little more difficult. To learn more, consult our guide on Finding Scholarly Articles.
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Scholarly
Journals |
Professional
Journals |
News/General
Interest Magazines |
Popular
Magazines |
Tabloids |
Intent |
Serious |
Serious |
Informative,
newsy |
Entertainment |
Sensational |
Graphics |
Graphs
and charts to illustrate concepts, black and white photos |
Graphs
and charts to illustrate concepts, color photos |
Color
photos, illustrations to enhance articles |
Color
photos, illustrations to enhance image of publication |
Melodramatic,
lurid or "doctored" photos |
Sources |
Cites
sources with footnotes and bibliography |
Cites
sources with footnotes and bibliography |
Few
cited sources |
Rarely
cites sources, obscure sources |
Rarely
cites sources |
Authors |
Scholars
or researchers in the field / discipline |
Professionals
in the field / discipline, staff |
Staff,
free-lance or scholarly writers for an educated, general audience |
Staff
or free-lance writers for a general audience |
Staff
or free-lance writers |
Language |
Advanced
terminology of field / discipline. Reader assumed to have similar
background |
Less
technical language of field/discipline. Reader assumed to have
similar background |
Language
appropriate for educated reader |
Simple
language and short articles for minimal education level. Articles
have little depth |
Simple,
easy to read language. Often sensational style |
Article
Publication Criteria |
Subject
to "peer review". Must meet approval of qualified
scholars in the field, may be solicited from experts |
Approved
by editorial staff, may be solicited from experts in the field |
Approved
by editorial staff. Must meet publication standards |
Approved
by editorial staff |
Approved
by editorial staff |
Purpose
/ Audience |
Make
original research available to the scholarly world |
Reach
and inform professionals working in the field |
Provide
general information to a wide audience |
Entertain,
persuade, sell products or services |
Arouse
interest and curiosity by distorting the truth |
Publishers
/ Sponsoring Organizations |
Generally
sponsored by professional organization |
May
be sponsored with guidance from professional organization |
Published
for profit by a commercial enterprise |
Published
for profit |
Published
for profit |
Advertising |
Rare,
selective advertising |
More
frequent, selective advertising |
Moderate
amount of advertising |
Extensive
advertising |
Startling
and/or lurid advertising |
Examples |
American
Educational Research Journal, Journal of Social Psychology |
American
Psychologist, American Libraries |
Time,
Newsweek, Psychology Today, Science News |
People,
Sports Illustrated, Glamour |
Enquirer,
Star, Tattler |
