Here is a quick, printable handout to help you distinguish between Scholarly Journals, Substantive Magazines, and Popular Magazines.
❏ Published in academic journals or books from university presses
❏ Examples of research which prove new theories about academic disciplines (such as Science, Literature, Medicine and History)
❏ Includes graphs, charts and diagrams; very little illustration or photos
❏ Geared towards scholars and experts in a particular subject
❏ Written by people with advanced degrees in that field
❏ Research is reviewed by scholars in that field, a.k.a. "Peer-reviewed"
❏ Includes a list of references or notes at the end
If your professor allows you to use websites for your sources (and be sure you ask before using a website), you can use The CRAAP Test to see if the website you are evaluating is credible. See the document above!
❏ Includes magazines and newspapers
❏ Covers are typically glossy and eye-catching
❏ Typically contain advertisements and pictures
❏ Geared toward a general audience
❏ Written by journalists and revised by editors
***Ex. National Geographic, New York Times, Rolling Stone, Time
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