Joseph R. Skeen Library : PHIL 130 (ChoGlueck): Popular Sources

Use popular sources when you need:

A general overview of a topic;
Very current information;
Opinion pieces;
Ideas on where to look for scholarly sources

Popular resources do not typically go through the same review process as academic resources; in many cases popular resources are reviewed by a single editor, who may or may not have expertise in the subject area. Popular resources are usually written for a broad audience and do not always use the same, formal language as authors of academic articles.

Examples of popular resources include magazine and newspaper articles, websites, and wikis. Use popular resources to identify the latest trends and issues within your topic, but do not rely heavily on these types of resources.

Characteristics of popular source articles:

Uses short sentences and simple language
Author reports information from interviews or second hand sources
Sometimes the author is not listed or qualifications are not indicated
Bibliography or references usually not included
Usually illustrated with colorful photographs

Courtesy of Northcentral University.

These are good places to start when looking for popular sources

Aeon.co
Since 2012, Aeon has established itself as a unique digital magazine, publishing some of the most profound and provocative thinking on the web. We ask the big questions and find the freshest, most original answers, provided by leading thinkers on science, philosophy, society and the arts.
Environmental Health Perspectives
Environmental Health Perspectives (EHP) is a monthly journal of environmental health research and news published with support from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences. We publish high-quality original research, reviews and commentaries on all established and emerging disciplines that examine the relationship between the environment and human health.
Fast Company
Fast Company is a monthly American business magazine published in print and online that focuses on technology, business, and design. It publishes eight print issues per year.
Nature Magazine
Nature Research is here to serve the research community by publishing its most significant discoveries—findings that advance knowledge and address some of the greatest challenges that we face as a society today. Our journals publish not only primary research but also reviews, critical comment, news and analysis.
Science Magazine
Science has been at the center of important scientific discovery since its founding in 1880—with seed money from Thomas Edison. Today, Science continues to publish the very best in research across the sciences, with articles that consistently rank among the most cited in the world.
Scientific American
The longest continuously published magazine in the U.S., Scientific American has been bringing its readers unique insights about developments in science and technology for more than 170 years.
WIRED
The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our lives—from culture to business, science to design. The breakthroughs and innovations that we uncover lead to new ways of thinking, new connections, and new industries.