Research Log Entry 6.1: Topic Refinement; Periodicals

1. What was discussed today in class?

In class of Friday, we further discussed topic refinement and started exploring the types of periodicals and their respective functions. The last time I did something like this was back in high school, so this session was a refreshing one for me.

2. Describe the differences among a popular, a trade/professional, and a scholarly journal.

The discerning the types of periodicals from each other wasn`t difficult. A popular periodical is catered to the general public, writing stories not of significance (pop culture) and slapping on some color pictures for the readers to ooh and ahh at. A trade/professional periodical targets specific people in a certain field, localizing language for a certain group specialized in some field yet still attempting to make everything pretty. The last type, a scholarly/research periodical, contains garrulous articles, deep in understanding and prolix in stature. The last type of periodicals is not meant for the normal reader; the original information contained in them is not for those looking for the latest gossip.

3. What are the advantages and disadvantages of print and electronic forms of periodicals?

The first thing that comes to mind is the convenience factor. Electronic forms of articles are quicker and easier to find, as they are only a few letters in a search bar away. The printed forms, however, are filled with pages of information where the table of contents must be consulted in order to find relevant and desired information. One good thing about printed articles, though, is that the full text of research and studies are contained in one area. Online forms may contain only a portion of text, forcing a continuation of the search, in turn making the process of finding information more difficult that would be anticipated.