Identifying Periodical Types

Being able to identify the type of periodical an article came from can help us evaluate the appropriateness of the article to our information needs. It also helps us decide if it is the kind of source our intended readers would accept.

The attached Distinguishing Between Periodical Types lists typical characteristics for three common types of journals and magazines:

  • scholarly journals,
  • trade magazines or journals, and
  • popular or general interest magazines.

On the next page, we will learn the difference between primary and secondary sources.