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Scholarly or Popular?
Table describing the difference between scholarly and popular resources in several common areas.
| Indicator |
Scholarly Sources |
Popular Sources |
| Author |
Can always tell who wrote it; author is an expert in the field with available credentials |
Name or credentials may not be provided; has little to no expertise on the subject |
| Audience |
Written in jargon for other professionals in the field to understand |
Written in non-technical language anyone can understand |
| Editor |
Reviewed by a board of experts (Peer Review) |
Reviewed not by experts in the field, but by a staff editor |
| Citations |
Sources are referenced with in-text citations and a bibliography |
References to outside sources are rare and do not include a bibliography |
| Length |
Longer articles with in-depth analysis, generally at least five pages long |
Shorter articles with a broader topic focus |
| Format |
Clear sections like an abstract, literature review, methodology, results, conclusion, and bibliography. May include illustrations that directly support the text like a table or graph. |
Does not follow any particular structure. Images may be glossy color photographs or include advertisements. |