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Creating an Annotated Bibliography: Types of Journals

Kia ora! This is a guide for writing annotated bibliographies. This guide provides quick guidelines to support your research.

Scholarly Journals

  • Cite sources in footnotes, references lists or bibliographies
  • Articles are written by an expert or researcher in field
  • Target audience is fellow researchers or students; language use is that of the discipline covered
  • Purpose is to report original research or experimentation

Trade or Professional Journals

  • May cite sources but often do not
  • Articles written by writers or free-lance journalists with subject expertise
  • Target audience is people in a particular trade or profession
  • Language use is appropriate to an educated reader
  • Published by professional or commercial bodies
  • Purpose is to provide information to a wide readership

Popular Magazines

  • Seldom cite sources
  • Information is frequently second hand and original source often obscure
  • Articles are usually short and written by reporters or staff writers
  • Target audience is the general public Language used is familiar, plain simple journalistic style
  • Purpose is to provide general information and/or entertain