General criteria are available to help determine if periodicals and journals are scholarly, often called peer-reviewed journals, practitioner / professional journals, or popular magazines.
Consider such things as:
Authority - Who wrote the article? What qualifications or credentials do they have regarding subject?
Content - What style of writing is used? Is it objective or trying to sell you something? Is it fact or opinion?
Audience - Who is the intended reader? What reading level is the article (advanced, general)?
Citation - Is the article properly cited? Does it have a bibliography or footnotes?
Review Process - Has the article been reviewed by subject specialists?
Currency
Relevance
Authority
Accuracy
Purpose
Critical Evaluation of Resources
Evaluating Sources of Information
Critically Analyzing Information Sources
How to Evaluate Journal Articles
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Written by experts in the field Author credentials are noted, affiliation detailed Peer reviewed Writing is well researched, advanced reading level Abstracts and/or summaries Contains data, charts, and graphics Article often is lengthy, multiple pages Citations, references, and/or bibliography are presented No advertisements Published by professional organization |
Click on the journal cover to find Full-Text Access. 
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Written by professionals in the field Author credentials are noted, affiliation detailed Reviewed by journal editors Writing is professional, vocabulary specific to field General abstract or summary provided May contain data, charts, and/or graphics Article is several pages long Citations, references and/or bibliography may be presented May contain advertisements specific to journal or field Published by professional organization |
Click on the journal cover to view Full-Text access.
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Written by magazine staff and/or journalists Author credentials are not presented, noted as by-line Edited and revised by staff Writing is less formal, highly readable Introduction or teaser header to article in place Contains photographs and/or illustrations Article may be single page or portion of a page No citations or references are in place Numerous advertisements are presented Published commercially |
