Is it popular or scholarly?
Popular and scholarly literature can both be credible (that is, trustworthy and reliable against their implied objectives) and thus perfectly acceptable for college level research. However, there are important differences. For example:
| Popular Sources | Scholarly Sources | |
| Purpose: | Written to inform, entertain, or persuade | Academic or scientific research, informative |
| Content: | Broad subjects, general interest | Original research or analysis; specific subject or discipline |
| Audience: | General readership | Specialists, scholars, professionals in a field |
| Author: | Staff, freelance writers | Experts, scholars |
| Format & Style: | Short articles with photos or illustrations; everyday language; includes advertising | Lengthy articles with tables, charts, graphs; technical language; little or no advertising |
| References: | No bibliographic references; may refer to studies within text | Documented research with footnotes and/or bibliography |
| Review Process: | Reviewed by editor | Peer-reviewed (or refereed) - reviewed by board of experts |
| Examples: |
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