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Types of Periodicals: Topic Coverage

This guide offers an introduction to the three main types of periodicals--scholarly, trade, and popular--and ways to distinguish among them.

Scholarly vs. Trade vs. Popular Periodicals

Let's take a look at how a topic currently in the news--species extinction--is treated in recent articles from the three different types of publications.

Scholarly Periodical Article

Example

Clements, Christopher F., et al. "Effects of Recent Environmental Change on Accuracy of Inferences of Extinction Status." Conservation Biology 28.4 (2014): 971-81. Research Library. Web. 1 June 2015.

“The rate at which a population declines to extinction can play an important role in determining how accurately a method for inferring extinction performs (Rivadeneira et al. 2009; Clements et al. 2013). Where species persist at low density for a lengthy period (and thus are rarely observed), estimates are worse than when the species falls rapidly to extinction” (Clements, et al. 972). 

 

Scholarly Periodical Characteristics

This quoted excerpt from a peer-reviewed article in a scholarly journal (Conservation Biology) shows several characteristics of a scholarly article: 

  • It cites its sources using a standard citation style (in this case, APA) within the text of the article. Scholarly articles rely on footnotes and/or in-text citations to give credit to sources. 
  • The language of this excerpt, while understandable, uses phrases such as "method for inferring extinction" and "species persist at low density" that experts are likely to use when writing for other experts. The article title especially focuses on the research content of the article, rather than trying to catch the reader's attention. 
  • The tone of the excerpt is measured and logical rather than catastrophic. 

Trade Periodical Article

Example 

Dolesh, Richard J. "Debate Over the Purpose of Conservation Heats Up." Parks & Recreation 12 2014: 28-9. Research Library. Web. 1 June 2015.

“The issue of who conservation is for is not just a philosophical or theoretical debate by ivory-towered academics. It has very real meaning to all of us in the field of parks and recreation. Increasingly, parks are viewed as protectors of biodiversity. A recent report by the World Wildlife Fund, the 2014 Living Planet Index, identifies the shocking loss of the word's vertebrate wildlife species - more than 50 percent in the past 40 years” (Dolesh 29). 

 

Trade Periodical Characteristics 

This quotation shows signs that this article is from a trade periodical (Parks & Recreation) because

  • It appears in a publication, Parks & Recreation, that seems to be targeted at professionals in that field. 
  • It contrasts its readers with "ivory-towered academics" and refers specifically to "all of us in the field of parks and recreation," showing that it considers its audience people who work in that field.
  • It names its source but does not provide formal citation information. 

Popular Periodical Article

Example

Borenstein, Seth. "Plants, Animals Going Extinct 1,000 Times Faster Than They Did before Humans, New Study Finds." U.S.News & World Report 05 2014: 1. Research Library. Web. 1 June 2015 .

“Species of plants and animals are becoming extinct at least 1,000 times faster than they did before humans arrived on the scene, and the world is on the brink of a sixth great extinction, a new study says. The study looks at past and present rates of extinction and finds a lower rate in the past than scientists had thought. Species are now disappearing from Earth about 10 times faster than biologists had believed, said study lead author noted biologist Stuart Pimm of Duke University” (Borenstein 1). 

 

Popular Periodical Characteristics

This quotation shows qualities of an article from a popular news magazine (U.S. News & World Report) because

  • The writing is straightforward and does not show the specialized language of experts or professionals in a field.
  • The language and writing style sensationalize the problem of species extinction.
  • The source is referred to as an unnamed study whose author is identified, but no formal citation is given. 
  • The article's title seems designed to catch the reader's attention and concern over this issue.