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Gateway Campus Library

Library Instruction Class

Popular vs. Scholarly Works

To begin there are Popular Sources and Scholarly Sources, these terms are used to identify the audience and purpose of a given material. 

Popular Works Example: An article in Women's Health magazine, it is likely geared towards a broad variety of readers, the article may reference a scholarly work or study, but there will not be an extensive Work's Cited or Reference list. The article may serve a purpose for the 'for profit' company, it will have ads throughout, and the pages will looks glossy and colorful. Article titles will 'hook' readers in, asking broad questions or making sweeping statements.

 

Scholarly Works Example: An article written for the New England Journal of Medicine will use technical language and have jargon specific to the field, the article is designed for researchers to understand the methodology used for the study, and have a detailed list of references so ideas can be traced back to specific authors. The images accompanying the articles may include tables and graphs, printed on high quality paper, or if digital, high resolution images.

 

Key Takeaways: It is important to identify popular works from scholarly works when you are conducting research, while popular works may contain true ideas or research it can often be misconstrued to suit a 'for profit' company's agenda. For example, if Women's Health Magazine has multiple ads for a skin care product, and the magazine includes a study about the benefits of face washing, it might increase sales for their magazine and the product being peddled. Understanding the motivation or background of the Author is a great way to figure out if the source you are looking at can be trusted, see more below about evaluating sources

Quick Guide to Popular vs. Scholarly Works

Criteria

Magazines

Journals

Level:

Popular, "easy reading"

Scholarly, technical, research based

References:

None

Yes, good bibliographies and/or footnotes

Advertisements:

Lots, general products, foods, household goods, etc.

None or only special products aimed at professional users

Audience:

Lay people, "just folks"

Scholars, students of the field 

Publishers:

For-profit corporations

Learned societies, professional associations, governmental organizations, education institutions, or others interested in furthering knowledge 

Inclusion:

Single editor or board judging piece on interest, style, readability, and conformity to the magazine's purpose 

Editorial board of fellow scholars reviewing the work for validity, reliability, contribution

Visuals:

People, places, general illustrations, few graphs, tables, etc. 

Generally fewer visuals; when included, tend to be tables, graphs, charts

Appearance:

Glossy, "snazzy", colorful, good looking 

Good paper, high quality production

Pagination:

Start with page 1 each issue

Continuous through volume 

* The word "journal" or lack thereof, does not necessarily indicate whether or not an item is a journal.

 

Primary vs. Secondary Sources

Primary Source: A primary source is a document or physical object which was written or created during the time under study. These sources were present during an experience or time period and offer an inside view of a particular event.


Examples of primary sources include:

  • Diary of Anne Frank - Experiences of a Jewish family during WWII
  • The Constitution of Canada - Canadian History
  • A journal article reporting NEW research or findings
  • Weavings and pottery - Native American history
  • Plato's Republic - Women in Ancient Greece

 

Secondary Source: A secondary source interprets and analyzes primary sources. These sources are one or more steps removed from the event. Secondary sources may have pictures, quotes or graphics of primary sources in them.


Examples of secondary sources include:

  • A journal/magazine article which interprets or reviews previous findings
  • A history textbook
  • A book about the effects of WWI

Quick Guide to Primary vs. Secondary Sources

  

              Humanities

Sciences

  

Primary Source
  • Original, first-hand account of an event or time period
  • Usually written or made during or close to the event or time period
  • Original, creative writing or works of art
  • Factual, not interpretive
  • Report of scientific discoveries
  • Results of experiments
  • Results of clinical trials
  • Social and political science research results
  • Factual, not interpretive

Secondary  Source
  • Analyzes and interprets primary sources
  • Second-hand account of an historical event
  • Interprets creative work
  • Analyzes and interprets research results
  • Analyzes and interprets scientific discoveries

 Examples

  Humanities Sciences

  

Primary
Source
  • Diaries, journals, and letters
  • Newspaper and magazine articles (factual accounts)
  • Government records (census, marriage, military)
  • Photographs, maps, postcards, posters
  • Recorded or transcribed speeches
  • Interviews with participants or witnesses (e.g., The Civil Right Movement)
  • Interviews with people who lived during a particular time (e.g., genocide in Rwanda)
  • Songs, Plays, novels, stories
  • Paintings, drawings, and sculptures
  • Published results of research studies
  • Published results of scientific experiments
  • Published results of clinical trials
  • Proceedings of conferences and meetings

Secondary
Source
  • Biographies
  • Histories
  • Literary Criticism
  • Book, Art, and Theater Reviews
  • Newspaper articles that interpret
  • Publications about the significance of research or experiments
  • Analysis of a clinical trial
  • Review of the results of several experiments or trials

 

 Specific Examples             

 

Primary Source

Secondary Source
Literature "Song of Myself" (Poem) Journal article about the poem's historical importance
Psychology Results of clinical trial to treat ADD by modifying diet Book about ways to treat childhood ADD without drugs
Politics and Government U.S. Census Statistics Book about suburban population changes in U.S.
History Recorded interview with Choctaw American Indian Journal article about Native Americans who served in WWII
Social Science Diary of Anne Frank Book about diaries kept during the Holocaust
Art Photographs by Diane Arbus Magazine article about 20th century female photographers