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Syracuse University Libraries

ENL 213: Library Research Guide: 2. Periodical Types and Criteria

Periodical Types and Criteria: Steps to Follow

  1. Read the Overview to learn about periodicals and "peer review."
  2. Look through the Periodical Comparison Table to find out the differences and similarities between different types of periodicals (e.g., newspapers, magazines, trade journals, and scholarly journals).
  3. Read the Additional Resources and Evaluating Sources sections.

Overview

What is a periodical?

A periodical is a publication that is published on a regular or "periodic" basis. Depending on the type, periodicals may be published daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly, etc. Examples of periodicals include newspapers, magazines, and journals.

 

What is a peer-reviewed source?

In your courses, your instructors may ask you to use articles from "scholarly" or "peer reviewed" journals. These journals publish articles that have been reviewed by experts and scholars in a particular field. Peer review is a detailed process that helps determine whether or not an article is appropriate for publication in the journal and, if so, how the article may need to be revised before being published. Peer reviewed articles are considered high quality and important in the field.

Periodical Comparison Table

Authors Editors Audience Language Sources Advertising Examples
Journalists On Staff General public Non-technical, brief, easy to understand Quotes and facts often attributed in text; citations rare Common, diverse New York Times, Globe & Mail (Toronto, CA), Chicago Tribune, The Washington Post

 

Authors Editors Audience Language Sources Advertising Examples
Journalists On Staff General public Non-technical, consumer-focused Quotes and facts often attributed in text; citations rare Common, diverse Entertainment Weekly, Time, Good Housekeeping

 

Authors Editors Audience Language Sources Advertising Examples
Practitioners in the field On Staff General public Moderately technical vocabulary Quotes and facts often attributed in text; citations rare Selective, industry-focused Brandweek, Restaurant Business, Architect, Automotive Industries

 

Authors Editors Audience Language Sources Advertising Examples
Scholars, researchers, experts in field Peer Reviewers / Referees Scholars, researchers, experts in field Academic language and tone; technical vocabulary Reference lists and bibliographies; in-text citations and footnotes Rare, focused on related journals and conferences Journal of African American Studies, Journal of Neuroscience Methods, Active Learning in Higher Education

 

Evaluating Sources & Websites

Consider these criteria when determining if a source is appropriate for your research:

  1. Authority: Is the author an expert in the field?
  2. Accuracy: Does the source contain objective interpretation of evidence? Did the research study use appropriate methodology? Can you verify the information in other sources?
  3. Currency: When was it published? New information is better in many cases, but older publications are valuable depending on context.
  4. Relevance: Source should match research need (e.g., background information vs. in-depth research)
  5. Objectivity: Should be based on evidence, not opinion. Look at publisher information to determine potential biases.

Additional criteria to consider:

  1. Unbiased: There is no such thing as an unbiased source, so you are looking for an impartial source. Consider if a resource tells you up front that they have a particular mission or viewpoint, that's great. If not, what are they hiding? Is the research being funded? If so, is that influencing research results? Are you selecting resources that confirm your own biases?
  2. Privilege: Consider who is missing from the conversation. Is there only one demographic included in the research, or is this demographic of people the only ones writing within this field of study? The answer is likely no.

There are many types of evaluation methods, but one for you to consider below is the ACT UP method:

Additional Resources

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