| Scholarly | Trade | Popular | Newspapers | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Provide in–depth analysis of topics, report current original research | Report on industry trends, new products or techniques | Provide broad overviews of topics | Report current events in politics, business, society and the arts |
| Authorship | Usually an expert or specialist in the field, name and credentials always provided | Usually a professional in the field or journalist, name and credentials usually provided | Usually a staff writer or a journalist, credentials generally not provided | Usually a staff writer or journalist, credentials generally not provided |
| Language/ Audience |
Written in the specialized language of the field for scholarly readers (professors, researchers, students) | Written for professionals, include terms and vocabulary specific to the industry | Written in non–technical language for anyone to understand | Written in non–technical language for the general public |
| Article Format/ Structure |
Usually structured, to include: abstract, literature review, methodology, results, conclusion, bibliography | Don’t necessarily follow a specific format or structure | Don’t necessarily follow a specific format or structure | Report the main event in lead paragraph and then give additional information |
| Special Features | Illustrations that support the text, such as tables of statistics, graphs, maps, or photographs | Illustrations that support the text such as graphics or photographs, including advertisements | Illustrations with glossy or color photographs, including advertisements | Photos accompany the text, including advertisments, special pull–out sections |
| Editorial Review | Reviewed and critically evaluated by a group of experts in the field (refereed) | Not evaluated by experts in the field, but by editors on staff | Not evaluated by experts in the field, but by editors on staff | Not evaluated by experts in the field, but by editors on staff |
| Credits | A bibliography (work cited) and/or footnotes are always provided to document research methods and sources | A bibliography (work cited) is usually not provided, although titles of reports or references may be mentioned in the text | A bibliography (work cited) is usually not provided, although titles of reports or references may be mentioned in the text | A bibliography (work cited) is usually not provided, although titles of reports or references may be mentioned in the text |
| Publisher | Typically professional associations or research institutions | Typically professional or trade associations | Typically for–profit corporations | Typically for–profit corporations |
