7.7: Types of Sources

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Frost & Samra et al.
Kellogg Community College

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Most published sources fall into one of three types: popular, scholarly, or trade. Popular sources are available at newsstands and are written for a general audience. Scholarly sources are based on original research and written by professors or experts in the field. Articles that appear in scholarly journals or books are published by academic presses and are subject to a peer-review process, which means that other experts in the field evaluate the quality and originality of the research before publishing. Trade journals or magazines are written by and for individuals within a particular field. They might not be peer-reviewed, but they are usually edited.

POPULAR SCHOLARLY TRADE

Examples

New York Times, Newsweek, National Geographic

Chemical & Engineering News, Electronic Education Report Author Journalists, staff,

or freelance Scholars with credentials Staff or contributing

authors

Publication Process Edited

Cambridge Opera Journal, Policy Review, Psychiatric Quaterly

Peer-reviewed (other scholars have “double- checked” the work)

Edited

Structure Varies

Sometimes broken into sections like literature review, methods, discussion, conclusion, and references

Varies

Support of Argument Confirmed sources Based lengthy on bibliography

prior research,

Report on industry trends, new products, or techniques

Purpose

To inform, persuade, or entertain

To advance knowledge in the field

To inform within one industry

Scope Often broad Limited to a very narrow

research question

Limited to a specific profession or industry

Audience General public Scholars, students, and

practitioners

Members of specific business or industry

Appearance Glossy photos and

advertising

Plain, sometimes with graphs, tables, maps, or images

Industry-specific ads