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This is an important issue everywhere! Here are some guides from different libraries on the issue of scholarly vs. popular journals. Each one demonstrates the information in a different way.

Distinguishing Scholarly Journals from Other Periodicals

Periodicals -- Journals and magazines -- are important sources for up-to-date information in all disciplines. It is often difficult to distinguish between the various levels of scholarship found in periodicals. In this guide we have divided the criteria for periodical literature into four categories:

• Scholarly
• Substantive News/General Interest
• Popular
• Sensational

Definitions:
According to Websters Third International Dictionary:

• scholarly is defined as concerned with academic study, especially research,
  exhibiting the methods and attitudes of a scholar, and having the manner and appearance of a scholar;
• substantive is defined as having a solid base, being substantial;
• popular is defined as fit for, or reflecting the taste and intelligence of, the people at large;
• sensational is defined as arousing or intending to arouse strong curiosity, interest or reaction.

Keeping these definitions in mind, and realizing that none of the lines drawn between types of journals can ever be totally clear cut, the general criteria are as follows.

Scholarly Journals

• a sober, serious look
• often contain many graphs and charts but few glossy pages or exciting pictures
• always cite their sources in the form of footnotes or bibliographies
• articles are written by a scholar in the field or by someone who has done research in the field
• language is that of the discipline covered - it assumes some scholarly background on the part of the reader
• main purpose is to report on original research or experimentation in order to make such information available to the rest of the scholarly world
• many scholarly journals, though by no means all, are published by a specific professional organization

Examples of Scholarly Journals:

• American Economic Review
• JAMA: The Journal of the American Medical Association
• Journal of Marriage and the Family (published by the National Council on Family Relations)
• Modern Fiction Studies
• Sex Roles: A Journal of Research

Substantive News or General Interest

• may be quite attractive in appearance, although some are in newspaper format
• often heavily illustrated, generally with photographs
• sometimes cite sources, though more often do not.
• articles may be written by a member of the editorial staff, a scholar or a free lance writer
• language is geared to any educated audience - no specialty assumed, only interest and a certain level of intelligence
• generally published by commercial enterprises or individuals, although some emanate from specific professional organizations
• main purpose is to provide information, in a general manner, to a broad audience of concerned citizens

Examples of Substantive News or General Interest Periodicals:

• Christian Science Monitor
• Economist
• National Geographic
• New York Times
• Scientific American
• Vital Speeches of the Day

Popular Periodicals

• many formats, although often somewhat slick and attractive in appearance
• lots of graphics (photographs, drawings, etc.)
• rarely, if ever, cite sources. Information published is often second or third hand and the original source is sometimes obscure.
• articles are usually very short, written in simple language and are designed to meet a minimal education level - generally little depth to the content
• main purpose is to entertain the reader, to sell products (their own or their advertisers), and/or to promote a viewpoint

Examples of Popular Periodicals

• Ebony
• Parents
• People Weekly
• Readers Digest
• Sports Illustrated
• Time

Sensational Periodicals

• a variety of styles, but often use a newspaper format
• language is elementary and occasionally inflamatory or sensational -they assume a certain gullibility in their audience
• main purpose seems to be to arouse curiosity and to cater to popular superstitions - often with flashy headlines designed to astonish (e.g. Half-man Half-woman Makes Self Pregnant).

Examples of Sensational Periodicals

• Globe
• National Enquirer
• Star
• Weekly World News

Scholarly Articles vs. the Web - What's the Difference?

Consider:

• The "free web" is not where scholars in most disciplines publish.
• If you use the web, you must carefully evaluate what you find.
• The college and library pay large sums to provide access to the scholarly literature through print subscriptions and database access.