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Physical Sciences: Journals vs. Magazines

Your online resource for Physical Sciences courses.

Scholarly Journals

AUDIENCE

Professors, researchers, scholars, students

APPEARANCE

Plain cover, and black and white pictures

ADVERTISEMENTS

No advertisements

AUTHOR Experts in the field, professionals
CONTENT & FOCUS

 Original thoughts, ideas,  research, new methodologies

DOCUMENTATION Bibliographies, footnotes
ILLUSTRATIONS

Few illustrations, relevant research oriented charts, graphs, and tables

LANGUAGE Specialized formal language
LENGTH

Usually quite lengthy, giving         in-depth research, theories, analysis

PUBLICATION FREQUENCY

Usually published monthly, or quarterly

EXAMPLES

Journal of Experimental Biology; American Scientist

Popular Magazines

AUDIENCE General readers
APPEARANCE Colorful cover, glossy paper, and color pictures
ADVERTISEMENTS Several colorful advertisements
AUTHOR

Journalists, staff writers, usually not experts in the field

CONTENT & FOCUS

Current events, general interest

DOCUMENTATION

Very little, if any documentation

ILLUSTRATIONS Many colorful eye-catching illustrations
LANGUAGE

Easy to read

LENGTH

Usually short to medium, giving overview of topics

PUBLICATION FREQUENCY

Usually published weekly, or monthly

EXAMPLES    Psychology Today; Newsweek; National Geographic; Time