| SCHOLARLY JOURNALS | POPULAR MAGAZINES |
| Bibliographies or references included | Usually do not have bibliographies or references |
| Authors are experts, and the credentials (PhD, M.D., etc.) are often stated | Authors are generalists and are frequently staff writers |
| Articles clearly state who the author is | No author name may be present |
| Articles go through a referee procedure, being reviewed by other experts in the field | Articles are only edited by the magazine editor |
| The audience is the scholarly reader, such as professors, researchers, or students | The audience is the general population or a trade industry group |
| Articles are written following a standardized formate like the APA or MLA styles | Various formates are used, usually with little structure |
| The text is written in the jargon of the field | Lots of advertisements and photographs |