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SKYCTC Learning Commons

COM: Scholarly vs. Popular

This guide is an introduction to information resources for Communication courses. Contact the librarian in the comments tab if you need additional assistance. Best viewed in Safari, Firefox, or Google Chrome.

Resources for Evaluating Scholarly, Popular, and Trade Resources

Which One is a Scholarly Source?

Look at the covers. Are they plain or eye-catching?

picture of Early Childhood Research Quarterly   cover of People magazine

Scholarly Source?
Early Childhood Research Quarterly: 258 votes (93.48%)
People: 18 votes (6.52%)
Total Votes: 276

Is This a Scholarly or Popular Source?

Is there an abstract (summary), charts or graphs, and references?

picture of article   

Scholarly or Popular?
Scholarly: 231 votes (92.03%)
Popular: 20 votes (7.97%)
Total Votes: 251

Which One Is a Popular Source?

Are the articles short or long?

cover of American Journal of Psychotherapy   cover of Time magazine

Popular Source?
American Journal of Psychotherapy: 47 votes (17.34%)
Time: 224 votes (82.66%)
Total Votes: 271