What is the difference between a journal and an article?
- In a research context when a professor asks for a journal they are usually referring to a scholarly periodical. For a definition of a scholarly periodical see below.
- An article is a piece of writing included with others in a newspaper, magazine, or journal. Articles are what make up journals, magazines, and newspapers.
Scholarly Periodicals – Journals
- written by and for researchers and scholars
- includes full citations
- peer-reviewed(articles are viewed by specialists before published)
- authors are not paid
- sometimes called academic articles or peer-reviewed articles
Popular Periodicals – Magazines
- written by journalists or professional writers
- rarely give citations
- written for the general public
- generally shorter articles
- advertisements