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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License. Hanna Primeau
| Scholarly Sources | Popular Sources | |
|---|---|---|
| Audience | Written for Professors, Researchers, Subject Experts | Written for the general public, people without significant experience or education in the field being written about |
| Language | Typically uses specialized language with a specific definition within a field | Written in everyday language that can be generally understood by the average reader |
| Author | Author's credentials (degrees, experience, or institutional affiliation) are listed in the publication | May be a journalist/reporter or someone who does not have direct experience working in or studying the field they are writing about |
| Works Cited | Typically includes an extensive bibliography or words cited | Generally do not include a bibliography at the end |
| Original Research | Describes original research done by the author(s) | Reports on research done by others |
| Editorial Process | Peer-reviewed or refereed by several experts in the field | Reviewed by a single editor |
| Advertisements | Rare | Frequent advertising |
| Purpose | To share original research findings, to advance understanding of a theory | To make a profit, to inform, to entertain, to persuade, etc. |