Q. What is the difference between a scholarly and popular article?

Journal articles or scholarly articles are articles written by experts or professionals in the field. These may be verified by other professionals (often referred to peer-reviewed, or refereed) prior to being published.

Journal articles:

• Are often lengthy (sometimes 10+ pages)
• Contain few images, unless related to the research
• Are difficult to understand for someone not working in the field due to the use of technical terminology
• Rely on other research to support any claims and include references to that research
• Are intended to be read by other researchers and professionals.

Magazine articles or popular articles are articles often written by a staff writer or journalist who may or may not have subject expertise. 

Popular articles:

• Are usually short in length
• Contain images to encourage readership 
• Often have advertisements 
• Are easy to understand
• Don't generally include references
• Are written with the general population in mind

You can find both types of articles by searching the library website.