Types of Journals

There are various types of journals including:

 academic/scholarly journals
 trade journals
 current affairs/opinion magazines
 popular magazines
 newspapers

The following table reveals a comparison of the various types of journals available:

ACADEMIC/ CURRENT
POPULAR
FEATURES SCHOLARLY TRADE JOURNALS AFFAIRS/OPINION NEWSPAPERS
MAGAZINES
JOURNALS MAGAZINES

To inform, report, To report on industry To offer in-depth To entertain and To disseminate

and make available trends, new products reporting and feature inform without news on a daily
PURPOSE original research or techniques to people articles without providing in-depth or weekly basis.
and new findings. in a specific trade, scholarly conventions. analysis.
business or profession.

Often devoted to a Cover practical Cover a wide range of Often focused on a Encompass
single discipline or information related to topics of interest to the particular subject current events
subdiscipline. a field or industry. readership. Be aware of or hobby but may in politics, sport,
SUBJECT the predominant also cover a leisure, religion
philosophical/political variety of topics. and business.
stance of the editorial
board.

Articles often No peer review No peer review process. No peer review No peer review
PEER reviewed by an process. process, may be process.
REVIEW author's peers reviewed by an
PROCESS before publication. editor or editorial
board.

Mainly held in Mainly held in libraries Many titles available Available in Available in
libraries or on or on subscription- from major newsagents, supermarkets and newsagents.
subscription-based based databases. public libraries and newsagents.
ACCESS databases - few are Commonly available as some university
freely available on part of professional / libraries.
the WWW. trade association
membership.

American Economic Advertising Age Bulletin (Sydney) Readers Digest Australian

Review Financial Review
Nursing Times Current Affairs Bulletin National
Australian Journal Geographic Morning Bulletin
EXAMPLES of Psychology
Drug Topics Scientific American
New Idea Courier Mail
Time (Sydney)
Sports Illustrated

Adapted from: Camden-Carroll Library - Access Services, n.d., Distinction among types of periodicals, viewed 18 January
2006, http://www.morehead-st.edu/library/access/index.aspx?id=6859