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TALON MODULE 6: Finding Periodical Articles
What Are Magazines and Journals?

Magazines--such as Newsweek, Time, Reader's Digest, and Consumer Reports-are periodicals that are popular in nature and designed for a general audience. The articles in a journal are much more scholarly, usually written by and for specialists in a particular field.

The following comparisons can help you understand some of the differences between these two types of publications:

  • Appearance
    • Magazine: Glossy; pictures often in color
    • Journal: More serious look; few pictures, if any
  • Content
    • Magazine: Current events; general interest
    • Journal: More specialized; research topics
  • Audience
    • Magazine: General public
    • Journal: Scholars and researchers in a particular field
  • Style
    • Magazine: Written for the average reader
    • Journal: Written for others in the field; shows research
  • Footnotes and Bibliography
    • Magazine: Very few footnotes, if any. No bibliography
    • Journal: Generally includes footnotes and bibliography
  • Advertisements
    • Magazine: Many ads, often in color
    • Journal: Few or none. If any, they are usually for books


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