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Types of Periodicals: Trade/Professional

Uses and features of journals, magazines, and newspapers.

Types of Periodicals

Examples of Trade Publications

Things to that might be missing:

  1. Complete references telling you where the data is coming from.
  2. Author credentials. In one example, the author's name isn't even given.
  3. A table, graph or chart. The images used don't add anything to your understanding of the article.

Access Tools (Examples)

Trade/Professional Periodical Characteristics

  • Current trends, news & events in a particular field
  • Product, company & biographical information
  • Statistics, including forecasts
  • Some book reviews

Screenshot taken from: Kropp, L. G. (2015). Surprise—It’s STEM!. School Library Journal, 61(7), 20-21.

Other examples:

  • Written for practitioners
  • Uses jargon of the field

Screenshot taken from: Kropp, L. G. (2015). Surprise—It’s STEM!. School Library Journal, 61(7), 20-21.

  • Practitioners
  • Journalists with subject expertise

Screenshot taken from: Kropp, L. G. (2015). Surprise—It’s STEM!. School Library Journal, 61(7), 20-21.

  • Sources often cited, but full documentation is not always provided

  • Commercial/trade publishers
  • Professional associations
  • Charts, tables, illustrations
  • Ads related to the profession/industry

Screenshot taken from: Young, S. J. (2016). Romancing the rivers. Travel Agent, 347(6), 16-18.

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