The following is a comparison of a Journal and a Magazine. Although our Journal may not fit every catagory, I believe it fits most.
JOURNALS AND MAGAZINES
What is a Journal? What is a Magazine?
A JOURNAL is a periodical that only
publishes articles after they have passed a
rigorous editing and review process, called
the “blind review†or “peer review.â€
Journals following this procedure are also
known as “refereed†or sometimes “vettedâ€
journals. Articles under consideration have
the author’s name removed and are
submitted to other experts in that subject
field, who evaluate the content, accuracy,
and importance of the article, and provide
their criticisms and comments. If the article
passes the review, it is returned to the
author for revisions, after which it may be
published. Journals may also be called
“academic journals,†“scholarly journals,â€
“research journals,†or “scholarly research
journals.â€
MAGAZINES are the periodicals that most
people are familiar with, and are often called
“consumer,†“popular,†or “mass marketâ€
periodicals. These are the periodicals you see
at the supermarket, the drugstore, or the
newsstand. Many people subscribe to
magazines. Magazines are useful for news and
trends, for information that is very current and
up to date. Magazines also will often report on
the findings of researchers and scientists,
which were originally published in journals, but
the articles in the magazines will be much
easier to read. Magazines are often fairly
inexpensive, and many are considered a form
of entertainment rather than a source of
information.
CITATIONS
All JOURNAL articles provide citations to
the sources of information the author used
as a basis for research and to write the
article. Citations may appear as footnotes
or at the end of the article as
“Bibliography,†“Works Cited,†or
“References.â€
Most MAGAZINE articles do not provide
citations to their sources of information. Articles
may refer to the original researcher by name, or
may only indicate where the research was
done. For example, the article may state,
“Researchers at Johns Hopkins have found
that … “
LENGTH
Most JOURNAL articles are lengthy, and
assume a certain degree of knowledge on
the part of the reader. Specialized
terminology may be used. Statistical tests
used will not be explained; only their
significance and conclusions drawn from
the tests will be discussed.
Most MAGAZINE articles are short, and the
language is usually simple to understand. As a
general rule, magazine articles are written to
accommodate a sixth to ninth grade reading
level. Most articles are continued through
several pages, to give the reader more
exposure to the advertisements.
AUTHORS
Most JOURNALS will provide a sidebar or
footnote, or a separate section, with
information about the author’s credentials
as a scholar, researcher, or professional.
Or, the author’s university or research
institute is given.
In MAGAZINE articles, many times the author’s
name is not given. If the author is listed, usually
the author is a journalist, not a scholar or
researcher. However, many journalists
specialize in certain subjects and are quite
knowledgeable.
SPONSOR
Most JOURNALS are published by, or
sponsored by, a university, research lab,
professional association, or a non-profit
organization.
Most MAGAZINES are published by for-profit
organizations or businesses. Many magazine
publishers are part of large media corporations.
EDITORS
Most JOURNALS will have a section near
the front or the back of each issue that lists
their editorial board and the reviewers,
with the professional affiliation of each
member. Many will also include
submission guidelines, which will indicate
how rigorous the review process is.
Editors of MAGAZINES are comparable to
business managers. Each magazine will have
its own standards for grammar, usage, and
spelling. Selection of articles to publish is
influenced by fads, trends, or by the major
advertisers to the magazine.
ADVERTISEMENTS
Generally, JOURNALS do not accept
advertisements. Revenue to support
publication is from the SPONSOR, and
from subscription fees. Journals are often
very expensive. If there are
advertisements, they will usually be for
other scholarly publications, or for
conference announcements.
All MAGAZINES accept advertisements. This is
how they make a profit and stay in business.
Many times it may be difficult to distinguish the
ads from the articles. Also, many magazines
have special theme issues, and they will notify
advertisers in advance. So, you may often
notice that the ads and the articles seem to
agree.
TITLE OF THE PERIODICAL
Some may have the word “journal,â€
“review,†“bulletin,†or “research†in their
title. However, this is the least reliable way
to determine if the periodical is a research
journal or not.
Titles of MAGAZINES are selected to be
attention getting. Many magazines are famous,
or have a known reputation or notoriety.
BIAS
Most JOURNALS are careful to avoid bias.
However, be aware that some non-profit
organizations or “think tanks†have explicit
political or social agendas, which may be
reflected in the articles published.
Many MAGAZINES are known for their social or
political bias. If you are not familiar with the
magazine, read the articles critically. Look for
alternative views in other magazines or in
journals.
AUDIENCE
JOURNALS are read by students,
professionals, scholars, instructors and
faculty, and other researchers. Within each
profession or subject field, there is usually
a group of “core†journals considered
essential reading by all those in the
profession or field of study.
MAGAZINES are read by everyone: workers,
householders, students, children, hobbyists,
sports enthusiasts, etc. There is a magazine for
almost every possible human interest.
WHAT ABOUT NEWSPAPERS? WHAT ABOUT the INTERNET?
NEWSPAPER articles tend to be short and
report one fact, event, or recent change. A few
major newspapers may offer more “in-depthâ€
reporting. Some are known for their bias. Read
newspaper articles about political or social
issues carefully and critically. Editorials are
solely the editor’s opinion, but can be helpful
for finding pro/con arguments.
INTERNET sources can be “here today – gone
tomorrow.†Many sites are an expression of
personal bias, an excuse to advertise a product, or
just plain phony. The criteria listed here can be used
to judge the worth of a website. Who is the target
audience, how long are the articles, are there
citations to sources? Are there any ads? Look for
the date, the author, editor, or sponsor.
