Content last reviewed:
Use this guide to evaluate if the following types of articles are appropriate for specific academic assignments:
- Academic journal articles
- Popular magazine articles
- News articles
- Social media articles and posts
This guide evaluates these sources using the following characteristics:
- Author/creator
- Purpose
- Audience and language
- Cited references
- Editorial process
- Publisher
- Publishing frequency
- Layout
- Illustrations, visualizations, advertisements
Consult the following sections by individual source and download this document to compare all sources:
Document:
Academic articles can be found in scholarly journals such as:
| Author(s) and/or creator(s) |
Scholars in a particular discipline who have done extensive research in their field. |
|
| Purpose |
Overall, to expand knowledge in a specific field or discipline by reporting research findings, reviewing literature. |
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| Audience and language |
Other scholars in a field or discipline including university students. Language is formal and specialized:
Note: Jargon can be defined as specialized terms. |
|
| Cited references |
Note: Format depends on academic style (e.g., APA, Chicago, MLA). |
|
| Editorial process |
Reviewed by an editor and peers (i.e., is peer reviewed [or refereed]). The editorial process is typically defined in an “About” section for a given journal. |
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| Publisher |
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| Publishing frequency |
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| Layout |
Typical layout (structure) for arts, humanities, and social journals includes key sections with headings/sub-headings:
Note: For scientific articles, there is generally no separate literature review section. Background information is covered in the introduction. Print vs online: Basic layout applies in both platforms. |
|
| Illustrations, visualizations, advertisements |
Black and white text/print Illustrations:
Visualizations:
Can include advertisements. |
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| Use in academic assignments and/or research |
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Popular magazine articles can be found in publications such as:
| Author(s) and/or creator(s) |
|
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| Purpose |
Overall, to report on news items and/or subjects of general or broad interest. |
|
| Audience and language |
General audience Language is non-specialized and can be conversational or informal in tone. Limited use of jargon, depending on the nature of the content. |
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| Cited references |
Typically, do not include cited references. |
|
| Editorial process |
Reviewed by an editor or editors (i.e., an editorial team) |
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| Publisher |
A periodical, which can be defined as a publication that is published at regular intervals. Note: Publisher typically is a commercial organization. |
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| Publishing frequency | Monthly or weekly | |
| Layout |
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| Illustrations, visualizations, advertisements |
Black and white or in colour Illustrations:
Visualizations:
Includes advertisements. |
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| Use in academic assignments and/or research |
May be used in academic assignments as primary or secondary sources. Check assignment instructions (e.g., in a course syllabus or assignment document) to identify the type of sources required. |
News articles can be found in publications such as:
| Author(s) and/or creator(s) |
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| Purpose |
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| Audience and language |
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| Cited references |
Typically, do not include cited references. |
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| Editorial process |
Reviewed by an editor or editors (i.e., an editorial team) |
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| Publisher |
Newspaper Note: Publisher typically is a commercial organization. |
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| Publishing frequency |
Weekly or daily |
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| Layout |
Typically include:
Print vs online: Basic layout applies in both platforms. Online articles can include hyperlinks. |
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| Illustrations, visualizations, advertisements |
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| Use in academic assignments and/or research |
May be used in academic assignments as primary or secondary sources. Check assignment instructions (e.g., in a course syllabus or assignment document) to identify the type of sources required. |
Social media articles can be found on sites such as:
- Scholarly blog such as Michael Geist (Canada Research Chair in Internet and ECommerce)
- 1969, an audio series/podcast by Nikole Hannah-Jones for The New York Times
- Twitter feeds such as Shawn Graham @electricarchaeo (Professor of History)
| Author(s) and/or creator(s) |
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| Purpose |
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| Audience and language |
General as well as specialized audiences. |
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| Cited references |
May include cited references and/or links to specific sources. |
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| Editorial process |
May or not have an editorial process. For example, a communication officer may review and fact check official government Twitter feed. However, other social media sources may not be verified by (other) researchers and/or experts. |
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| Publisher |
Either an individual or an organization. |
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| Publishing frequency |
Posts and/or content may be made or added at any time. |
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| Layout |
Varies by platform. May or may not include information about the author(s). |
|
| Illustrations, visualizations, advertisements |
Black and white or in colour Illustrations:
Visualizations:
|
|
| Use in academic assignments and/or research |
May be used in academic assignments as primary or secondary sources. Check assignment instructions (e.g., in a course syllabus or assignment document) to identify the type of sources required. |
University of Southern California Libraries. (2021). Research Guide. Organizing your social sciences research paper: Types of sources. https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/scholarly
