When magazines became most popular at the turn of the 20th century they were about providing facts in an entertaining way. Henry Luce and Harold Ross pioneered with Time and The New Yorker and pretty much modeled the way for magazines today. Overtime different publications have evolved in magazine history; however one form that tends to be known by everyone, but in the back of the mind is the journal.
There is a journal for almost every subject: scientific, women’s, history, men’s, etc. And within those subjects there are sub-categories for an entirely different journal. The purpose of a journal is completely different from your average magazine. One may think of them as mini textbooks that are updated quarterly (as most journals run on a quarterly schedule).
There is a journal for almost every subject: scientific, women’s, history, men’s, etc. And within those subjects there are sub-categories for an entirely different journal. The purpose of a journal is completely different from your average magazine. One may think of them as mini textbooks that are updated quarterly (as most journals run on a quarterly schedule).
The two covers to the left show how different just the presentation of a journal and a magazine are. While magazines showcase what you'll find inside, a journal doesn't need explanation and usually sticks to a very plain, conservative cover. As far as whats inside, they are just as different as their covers.
In a magazine the author is simply a writer either interested or assigned to the subject at hand. Sometimes the writer has studied in the area of the article, but usually has no credentials in the subject.
In a magazine the author is simply a writer either interested or assigned to the subject at hand. Sometimes the writer has studied in the area of the article, but usually has no credentials in the subject.
In a journal the author is usually a professional in the subject at hand and often times the article is based on studies they have conducted or theories they have proven. In a journal the author will have credentials, doctorates, or even a Ph.D. in the subject they are writing about, giving them more credibility on the subjects. It also is not easy to get published in a journal. The information that is looked for isn’t necessarily what is popular in all of society, but what is popular and/or important in that area of study.
However, the magazines and journals can often times go hand in hand because if everyone is all of a sudden worried about child obesity then more doctors will begin to study the effect and causes of the matter. Thus, both the journal and the magazines will be talking about the same thing, but again, the journal will have more to offer on the subject.
This is important to a student for many reasons. For instance, yes Time is a popular magazine and is very credible in what they publish. However, if one is reporting on child obesity in California they are more likely to find more in-depth, accurate information in a medical journal rather Time or something like that.
To put it more simply, information in a journal is straight from the source, while information in a magazine is relayed to the reader from experts, through the writer.
More info:
http://www.lib.ncsu.edu/guides/spmaterials/
http://www.lse.ac.uk/library/newper/whatIsAJournal.htm
http://lib.utsa.edu/Research/Subject/scholarlyguide.html
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