"Periodicals" is a general term used to refer to newspapers, magazines and journals (publications that are published "periodically".)
When you use periodical articles in your research, you should evaluate the article by asking questions similar to those you asked when evaluating web pages.
Popular Magazines / Newspapers |
Academic Journals |
|
Overall appearance |
Magazines are usually printed on glossy paper, include advertisements, & are heavily illustrated, & attractive in appearance |
Serious, may contain graphs or charts; no glossy pages, photographs; few or no advertisements |
Audience |
General Public |
Scholars, researchers and students |
Authors |
Journalists, professional writers; credentials rarely provided |
Researchers, scholars, or experts in the field; the article includes their academic credentials |
Documentation |
Sources may be mentioned in the text of articles; sometimes cited for news articles, but rarely |
Cited sources in footnotes or bibliography |
Purpose |
Provide general information |
Report on or review original research or experimentation in narrowly focused discipline or academic subject. |
Article Acceptance Procedure |
Articles written by hired reporters, edited by magazine or newspaper editors |
Often undergo a "peer-review" process -- reviewed by other scholars in the field before being published --sometimes these journals are called "peer-reviewed journals" or "refereed journals" |
Examples |
MAGAZINES: Time, Newsweek, Psychology Today, Ms., Nation, Popular Science, Life, Sports Illustrated,Commentary, Architectural Digest, The Futurist, Motor Trend, Natural History, Prevention, Sierra, Sunset, Wired NEWSPAPERS: S.F. Chronicle, N.Y. Times, L.A. Times, Washington Post |
New England Journal of Medicine, Harvard Business Review, Journal of Experimental Psychology, Adolescence, American Historical Review, Art History, Counseling Psychologist, Geological Society of America Bulletin, Harvard Law Review, Management Science, Urban Affairs Quarterly, Women's Studies. |
To find out more about most publications, do a Wikipedia search for the title
How to determine the political perspective of a magazine or journal
To find research studies, look for articles in scholarly journals that include the following sections:
- See more at: http://www.skylinecollege.edu/library/magazinesvsjournals.php#sthash.MlSSFgVj.dpuf
Using strategies and tips from the guide: “Evaluating Information from Web Pages”, decide whether the following pages would be good quality sources to use for a college research paper.
Source Examples:
Why Do Kids Become Addicted to Video Games?
Do video games lower academic performance?
Children's Media Use and Achievement
Electronic Play, Study, Communication, and Adolescent Achievement, 2003 to 2008