Scholarly vs Popular Sources

  Scholarly (e.g. Journals, Conference Proceedings) Popular (e.g. Magazines, Trade Publications)
Authors Professors and researchers

Staff writers and journalists; business or industry professionals (Trade Magazines)

Content
Articles reporting research results

To inform or entertain (Magazines);

To inform people in a business or industry about relevant news, trends, and products (Trade Magazines)

Audience Scholars, researchers, college students                                                                  General public
Reviewed by

Other scholars within the field (Peer-reviewed)

Editors
Bibliography

List of references

Few, if any citations
Illustrations

Charts, graphs, equations, etc.

Pictures, cartoons, infographics, etc.
Examples

Journal of Heat Transfer

Journal of Applied Mechanics

(Titles you would find in an academic library)

Time

Newsweek

(Titles you can find at a bookstore as well as in a library)