Food Industry
ARTICLES

After consulting reference works and circulating books on your topic, you are ready to begin looking for articles in journals, magazines, and newspapers.

Articles are typically useful for their up-to-date and focused treatment of subjects. However, there are many different kinds of articles, and some professors will stipulate that you use only certain types of articles in your assignments. Here is an overview of three types of articles --popular, trade, and scholarly --each having different merits and drawbacks.

            SCHOLARLY:

Definition & Use: Also known as peer-reviewed or refereed periodicals, scholarly periodicals publish original research and commentary on developments within a specific discipline. Articles are signed, often lengthy, include minimal illustrations and advertisements, and almost always include a bibliography. Scholarly journals are usually peer-reviewed, meaning that articles are evaluated by one or more subject experts (referees). Scholarly articles are useful for their original and rigorous approaches to problems by experts in a particular field. Students can almost always use scholarly articles in their research, although they may need to supplement such research with books or other sources of information.

           TRADE:

Definition & Use: Also known as professional, industry-specific, or special interest periodicals, trade periodicals are "devoted to disseminating news and information of interest to a specific category of business or industry, often published by a trade association" (Rietz). Articles in trade periodicals are usually short to medium-length, may or may not be signed, usually contain some advertisements or illustrations, and may or may not contain a bibliography. Trade journals are useful for their coverage of industry trends, practices, and opinions. Students may generally use trade journals but should often supplement research in them with material from scholarly articles, books, or other sources of information.

           POPULAR:

Definition & Use: Popular periodicals usually contain short articles on a variety of topics written by various authors in an informal style. Articles are sometimes unsigned and usually do not include a bibliography. Popular publications usually contain illustrations or advertisements and are usually sold at newsstands or in bookstores. They are useful for their coverage of current events and popular opinion, but should be used sparingly in research and supplemented with material from trade or scholarly journals, books, or other sources of information.

The following periodicals are available in print at the Rosen Library and may contain helpful information about the Food industry.  A    denotes a scholarly (peer-reviewed) source.