Popular vs. Scholarly
Professors often talk about using "scholarly" articles and avoiding "popular" sources. However, there are many sources that fall somewhere in the middle -- sources that reside between scholarly and popular. And all these sources can be helpful in their own ways. Popular sources can provide background information and context, while more scholarly information can provide hard evidence and compelling research. The following table describes popular and scholarly articles and the spaces in between. It might be more helpful to think of this as a spectrum rather than two diametrically opposed categories into which all sources must fit.
| Popular Sources | Hobby Publications | Trade Publications | Scholarly Sources | |
| Specificity | General interest topics; news, entertainment | Covers specific hobbies/interests | Career-specific information | Specific to a narrow area of research |
| Author | Journalists | Journalists | Professionals in the field | Experts |
| Audience | EVERYONE | People with similar interests/hobbies | People who work in the same field | Professionals and experts in the field |
| Reading Level | 8th Grade or lower | 8th Grade or lower | Higher than 8th grade, may contain some jargon specific to subject area | Lots of big words; lots of jargon; hard to read/understand |
| Purpose | To entertain | To inform | To educate | To move progression forward; to gain a new understanding of the subject area |
| Has an abstract? | NEVER | Occasionally | Occasionally | ALWAYS |
| Has a bibliography? | NEVER | Occasionally | Occasionally | ALWAYS |
| Examples | USA Today, People | Wired, Yoga Journal, Popular Science, Food & Wine | Construction Worker, American Libraries | Journal of American Medical Association, Journal of Hydrology |
CRAP Test
Currency
How recent is this information? Has it been updated? Is it current enough for your topic?
Reliability
Is it fact or opinion? Are there references to the sources of information?
Authority
Who is the creator or author? What are the author's credentials?
Purpose
Is it biased? Are they trying to sell you something - either a product or an idea?
Subject Guide
