How can you tell if an article is scholarly or from a magazine?
If you get your article from an online database, you can usually limit your results list to just scholarly journals. If you are using a print copy, here's some tips:
1. Scholarly journals report on original research and usually include charts, graphs and formulas. The articles are lengthy and usually have headings like method or methodology, results, and conclusion and include a bibliography. Examples of scholarly journals are American Journal of Education, Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society, and Modern Fiction Studies.
2. Magazine articles are written to inform and entertain a general audience. They may be news magazines, sports interest, cultural and social news, or a variety of topics features. They usually have colorful covers, lots of photos and advertisements. Articles are usually brief but can be longer and they seldom have a bibliography. Examples of magazines are Newsweek, Good Housekeeping, and Popular Mechanics.
Scholarly Journal (print format):
Example:
Scholarly Journal (from online database):
Cite the article as you would a print article, followed by:
Magazine (print format):
If an author is listed, begin with the name of the author. If no author is listed, begin with the title of the article.
Example:
Magazine (from online database):
Cite the article as you would a print article, followed by:
Newspaper (print format):
Because newspaper articles often don’t appear on consecutive pages, cite the section and page number where the article begins. If the article continues onto additional pages, note this by placing a + sign after the page number.
Signed Article
Example:
Unsigned Article
If the article is unsigned, begin with the title of the article. Omit "A," " An," or "The" if the title begins this way.
Example:
"Retirement Expert Urges Diversity in 401(k) Options." USA Today 19 Jan. 2010: 4B. Print.
Newspaper (from online database):
Cite the article as you would a print article, followed by the database in which you accessed the article, the medium of publication (Web), and the date of access.
Citation examples courtesy Pellissippi State Community College Library Guides.