Popular

You are probably familiar with magazines like Time, People, Car and Driver, Sports Illustrated, Ebony, etc. These magazines are referred to as "popular" magazines.

In a nutshell, popular magazines:

• Provide general information on topics of interest to a wide audience
• Are written by journalists or writers who may or may not have any background or expertise in the subject about which they are writing
• Are written for the general public who are interested in a subject
• Rarely provide citations to source materials
• Undergo a limited editorial review process
• Often include glossy photos
• Have short articles, usually less than 5 pages in length
• Frequently published - weekly or monthly

While popular magazines can be a good source for general information on current topics, they may not be the most appropriate source for your research.

Note: Portions of Part 2 have been taken from Central Carolina Community College Libraries' tutorial on popular and scholarly articles.

See also Duke University's Selecting Resources -> Popular Journals.