Journals, magazines and newspapers are often referred to as periodicals or serials because they are published on a regular (daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly) basis. These publications are great sources of current, up-to-date information.
Periodicals are available in electronic and print form. If the Library subscribes to a journal, magazine or newspaper, it is listed by title and subject in the Library Catalogue.
There are different types of periodicals, each with particular purposes and uses. For instance:
The following chart outlines the general characteristics of these different periodicals.
| Scholarly and Research Journals | Professional, Trade and Industry Journals | Popular and News Magazines | Newspapers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Examples |
Journal of Communication Management |
PC World |
Macleans |
Calgary Herald |
|
Value and Uses |
Reports on original research; In-depth analysis of topics; Lengthy articles; Statistical information; Academic level book reviews; Refereed or peer-reviewed |
Current trends, news and products in a field; Practical industry information; Company, organization and biographical news; Career information; Book and product reviews |
Current events and news; Hot topics; Brief, factual information; Short articles; Interviews |
News stories; Current information; Local and regional focus; Analysis and opinion of current events; Classified ads; Editorials; Book reviews; Entertainment information |
|
Audience |
Researchers, scholars, professors, academics |
Practitioners in the field |
General audience |
General audience |
|
Language |
Academic level writing and vocabulary; Specialized language of the discipline; Can be highly technical |
Written for practitioners in the field; Specialized jargon |
Non-technical vocabulary; Often simple language |
Non-technical vocabulary written for a general audience |
|
Authors |
Researchers, academics, professors, scholars |
Experts in the field or journalists with subject expertise |
Journalists, staff writers, freelance writers |
Journalists, staff-writers |
|
Editorial Requirements |
Editors/reviewers are experts in same field as authors; May participate in peer-review process prior to publication; Rigorous publication standards; Articles checked for content, format and style |
Editors are generally experts in same field as authors; Articles rarely peer-reviewed prior to publication; Articles usually checked only for format and style |
Editors not academic experts in subject field of article; Article topics often assigned or contracted; Articles usually only edited for style and format |
Editors not academic experts in subject field of article; Articles edited for brevity |
|
Citations and Footnotes |
Footnotes and bibliographies; Documentation often extensive |
Occasional brief bibliographies; Sources can be cited in text |
Original sources can be obscure; Sources, when used, are rarely cited in full |
Sources are rarely cited in full |
|
Publishers |
Professional organizations, universities, research institutes and scholarly presses |
Commercial / trade publisher; Industry institutes and professional associations |
Commercial / trade publishers; Corporate ownership |
Commercial / trade publishers; Corporate ownership |
|
Graphics and Illustrations |
Graphs, charts and tables; Ads and photographs are rare |
Graphs, charts, tables, photographs relevant to the industry; Glossy ads |
Many graphics and photographs; Many full-page, color, glossy ads |
Photos, graphics and charts; Many ads |
This chart was adapted from:
Gradowski, G., Snavely, L., & Dempsey P. (Eds.) Designs for active learning: A sourcebook of classroom strategies for information education. Chicago: Association of College & Research Libraries, 1998.