Generally journals are edited and written by scholars in a particular field, while magazine editors and writers write for a broader, more popular audience. Journal articles are peer-reviewed. Magazine articles are not peer-reviewed, but usually contain more photographs and more slick and glossy and sometimes perfumy smell.
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| Scholarly Peer Reviewed | Popular |
| Length | Longer articles, providing in-depth analysis of topics | Shorter articles, providing broader overviews of topics |
|---|---|---|
| Authorship | Author an expert or specialist in the field, name and credentials always provided | Author usually a staff writer or a journalist, name and credentials often not provided |
| Language/Audience | Written in the language of the field for scholarly readers (professors, researchers or students) | Written in non-technical language for anyone to understand |
| Format/Structure | Articles usually more structured, may include these sections: abstract, literature review, methodology, results, conclusion, bibliography | Articles do not necessarily follow a specific format or structure |
| Special Features | Illustrations that support the text, such as tables of statistics, graphs, maps, or photographs | Illustrations with glossy or color photographs, usually for advertising purposes |
| Editors | Articles usually reviewed and critically evaluated by a board of experts in the field (refereed or peer-reviewed) | Articles are not evaluated by experts in the field, but by editors on staff |
| Credits | A bibliography (works cited) and/or footnotes are always provided to document research thoroughly | A bibliography (works cited) is usually not provided, although names of reports or references may be mentioned in the text |
