2. Scholarly journals vs. popular magazines > Definitions
Articles in scholarly journals go through the peer review process before they are accepted for publication. In the peer review process, experts in the field examine articles before they are accepted. This insures that research published in peer reviewed or refereed journals is sound and of high quality. In addition, articles in scholarly journals are intended for researchers and use the language of a specialized discipline.
Articles in popular journals do not go through a process of peer-review. The articles are intended for a general audience and do not use the language of a specialized field.