The intended audience is presumed to have basic knowledge of the subject matter of the article. The articles include complex vocabularly or the jargon of the field. This allows only an overview of the subject. Bibliographies or references are rarely included. The reader must rely on other resources to identify additional materials on the subject.
Authors are often generalists and articles are sometimes unsigned.
The reader often cannot verify if the author is truly knowledgeable about the subject. The intended audience is the general population, so no previous knowledge on the subject is assumed by the author. Simple vocabularly is used to appeal to the layperson. Often profusely illustrated in color and on glossy paper for marketing appeal. Return to General Research Guides List Return to Research Guides Subject List Created 1998 by Laurie Hathman , Head of Public Services.