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How do I know if a source is from a trade / professional publication?
Trade or professional sources are written for an audience of professionals in the field. They may resemble scholarly journal articles or popular magazine / newspaper articles. Some library databases will include scholarly, popular, and trade sources, so you’ll want to be able to tell the difference between the three.
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- Do not include original research
- Specialized knowledge is required and/or assumed
- Specialized vocabularly (jargon) is used without explanation or definition
- Pictures are common, and are used in a decorative sense
- Advertisements are (often) prominent
- Bibliographies may or may not be included
- In-text citations / endnotes / footnotes are not used consistently
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When would I want to use a trade/professional journal?
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- When you want to find information about practical application of an idea within a profession.
- When you need business information.
- When you need to see what the most important or current issues are in a profession.
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Test: Popular
Explore the image below — mouseover the targets to learn more about the anatomy of a trade publication. This example uses an article from a trade journal, but the characteristics discussed also apply to some magazines, and newspapers.
Callari, James J. "Making Old Bags New Again." Plastics Technology (2012): 36-41. Academic Search Premier. Web. 30 Jan. 2013.
Trade publications are intended for a specific, professional audience. The articles are written for readers who work in the field.
This trade publication--Plastics Technology--is published for "personnel employed in manufacturing plants where metalworking operations are performed."
By reading the title and a portion of the text, you can tell that this article is intended for readers with an interest / a stake in the future of plastic bag production.
VIEW THE LINK FOR MORE INFO
Articles in trade publications are authored either by a professional from the field, or a journalist with expertise. The author of this article is a journalist who has spent years writing in the field of plastics.
You'll notice that this article, like other articles from trade publications, contains advertising. The advertisements featured are only relevant to those working in the field of plastics.
You'll notice that this article, like other articles from trade publications, contains advertising. The advertisements featured are only relevant to those working in the field of plastics.
You'll notice that this article, like other articles from trade publications, contains advertising. The advertisements featured are only relevant to those working in the field of plastics.
These images are often used in trade publications to highlight content presented in an article.