Periodicals are resources that are published periodically (weekly, monthly, quarterly, etc.) and are a great resource for inspiration and to learn about what others are currently doing in a specific subject area.
Video courtesy of Wayne State University Library
Popular Magazine
Published by... a commercial firm/ company
Written by... journalists
Written to... entertain a general audience
Articles include... attention-grabbing content and advertisements
Language is... basic with no advanced terms
Trade Magazine/ Journal
Published by... a commercial firm or professional organization
Written by... professionals in the field or field-specific journalists
Written to... inform an audience of practitioners
Articles include... in-depth information and advertisements but usually no citations
Language is... accessible with field-specific terms
Scholarly/ Academic Journal
Published by... a university or academic association
Written by... researchers and scholars
Written to... inform an audience of students and scholars
Articles include... abstracts, citations, but no advertisements
Language is... advanced with field-specific terms