Evaluating Periodical Literature Popular magazines and professional or scholarly journals are published periodically and may all be considered periodicals. However, differences between them exist. Magazines serve a general audience and provide entertainment as well as information.
Journals serve a scholarly audience and have a narrow subject focus.
Cover a wide range of topics. Frequently available at newsstands. Contain articles usually written by professional writers or journalists. Author credentials may or may not be identified. Published by commercial presses.