Journals, magazines and newspapers are usually separated into three major types: scholarly, popular and trade/professional. Many websites also have these characteristics.
Here are some ways to tell the difference.
| Major Differences | Scholarly Sources | Popular Sources | Trade/Professional Sources |
| Intended Audience | Intended for individuals in a specific field of study. Readers are assumed to have some knowledge in the field. | Intended for a general audience. Some are for a specific group, such as runners or teens. | Intended for individuals in a specific profession, business or occupation. |
| Contents | Articles report research and case studies or critical analysis of a work (novel, painting, etc.) | Articles are intended to entertain and/or provide general information. | Articles provide current professional information and industry news; may contain job listings. |
| Appearance | Layout is usually just text, few photos, lengthy articles. | Usually have photos and advertising; fairly short articles. | Contain product advertisements of interest to individuals in the specific professions; some pictures; usually short articles. |
| Authors | Articles are written by scholars, academics or researchers in a particular field. | Articles are written by staff writers (sometimes a specific author is not named) or with no specific credentials in a particular field. | Articles are written by staff writers and reporters hired by the publication, usually with knowledge of the profession or field. |
| Article Acceptance Procedure | Articles are peer-reviewed (an editorial board reviews each article for accuracy and quality). | Articles are not peer-reviewed. Articles are reviewed and selected by magazine or newspaper editors. | Articles are reviewed and selected by magazine or newspaper editors. |
| Documentation | Articles contain extensive footnotes and bibliographies of reference sources. | For news articles, sources are sometimes listed. | For news articles, sources are sometimes listed. |
| Examples | American Sociological Review, Foreign Language Annals, Journal of British Studies | Time, Good Housekeeping, Runners World, Atlantic Monthly, Virginian-Pilot, U.S. News and World Report, New Yorker | Teacher Magazine; Architectural Review; Coach and Athletic Director |
| Sample Citations | From a scholarly source: Kettrey, Heather and Beth Emery. "The Discourse of Sibling Violence." Journal of Family Violence 21.6 (2006): 407-416. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web 5 Oct 2010. | From a popular source: Catsoulis, Jeannette. "Siblings in Mexico City, Criminally Exploited." New York TimesI (2010): 7.Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Oct 2010. | From a trade source: "Top Bluegrass Albums."Billboard 122.36 (2010): 41. Academic Search Complete. EBSCO. Web. 5 Oct 2010. |