Academic articles are a central resource in university-level research. They appear in various formats and serve distinct functions depending on their intended audience, the publication context, and the purpose of the information conveyed.
This guide outlines five principal categories of articles commonly used in graduate and postgraduate research. Each category is addressed in a dedicated section, where readers will find definitions, key characteristics, suggested use cases, and direct access to relevant tools and databases available at HEC Montréal.
This guide explores five main categories of academic articles, each serving different research needs. You'll also learn how Open Access supports broader access to scholarly work. Click on any category to view details, characteristics, use cases, and tools to help you locate them at HEC Montréal.
| Feature | 🎓 Scholarly (Peer-Reviewed) | 🧑💼 Trade or Professional | 📰 Magazine |
|---|---|---|---|
| Author | Researchers or scholars with academic credentials Use this when: seeking credible, original research. |
Industry professionals, consultants, or editors Use this when: looking for trends or applied insights. |
Journalists, editors, or guest contributors Use this when: researching culture, lifestyle, or popular topics. |
| Audience | Academic and professional researchers | Practitioners and professionals in a specific field | General public with broad interest |
| Structure | Formal academic format (abstract, methods, results, conclusion) | Informal; may include bullet points, charts, or visuals | Informal layout; short paragraphs and images |
| Content | Original research, experiments, or theoretical analysis | Trends, tools, best practices, and industry insights | Consumer news, lifestyle, culture, or commentary |
| Sources | Extensive academic references and citations | May include references but often not cited formally | Rarely cited; may refer to websites or news sources |
| Review Process | Peer-reviewed by subject experts before publication | Reviewed by editors or professional boards | Reviewed by magazine editors; not peer-reviewed |
| Access Model | Subscription-based or accessed via academic libraries | Subscription or membership required | Available online or in print; often open access |
| Feature | 🗞️ Newspaper | 🌐 Open Access (OA) |
|---|---|---|
| Author | Journalists or columnists Use this when: tracking current events or opinions. |
Varies (usually academic researchers or institutions) Use this when: searching freely available scholarly work. |
| Audience | General public | Global research community, public |
| Structure | Brief paragraphs, headline-driven | Same as scholarly; varies by publication |
| Content | Current events, politics, opinion | Can include peer-reviewed research or preprints |
| Sources | Rarely cited; quotes or informal references | Depends on publication type and license |
| Review Process | Reviewed by newspaper editors | May be peer-reviewed or self-archived (preprint) |
| Access Model | Open access or subscription | Freely accessible online (OA) |
