What is the Difference Between Article and Journal

The main difference between article and journal is that an article is much shorter than a journal.

When you are writing an academic paper or conducting a research study, you will need to consult various articles and journals. An article is a written composition in prose, usually nonfiction, on a specific topic, forming an independent part of a publication. A journal, on the other hand, is a collection of scholarly articles. We sometimes use the word journal article to refer to an individual article in a journal.

Key Areas Covered

1.  What is an Article
     – Definition, Features
2.  What is a Journal
     – Definition, Features
3.  What is the Difference Between Article and Journal
    – Comparison of Key Differences

Key Terms

Article, Journal, Journal Article

What is an Article

An article is a piece of writing that is included with others in a newspaper, magazine or other publication. It is a form of nonfiction that is prose. You can find articles in magazines, encyclopedias, journals, websites, newspapers or other publications; the content and the structure of an article may depend on the source. For example, an article can be an editorial, review, feature article, scholarly article, etc.

An article is much shorter than a book  – it can be as short as one or two paragraphs or as long as a few dozen pages. The main aim of an article is to inform the readers about a certain topic. However, they are written about very specific topics. Moreover, articles usually follow a heading and sub-headings format; this format makes readers understand the concepts dealt with in the article easily. Articles can also vary according to the type of information they present. Writers present these facts and information in an objective manner since their goal is to give out information, not to persuade the readers towards accepting their views.

A collection of academic or scholarly articles is known as a journal. Moreover, most journal articles have an abstract at the beginning and include extensive documentation at the end of the article.

What is a Journal

In academia, a journal is a scholarly publication. It’s a collection of articles written by researchers, professors and other experts. Journals typically focus on a specific discipline or field of study. For example, medical journals. Unlike magazines or newspapers, journals target an academic or technical audience, not general readers. Journals are available in print medium or as online publications.

Articles on a journal typically have original research and are peer-reviewed. Moreover, they focus on current developments in that field and cite related other works and contains bibliographies.

Furthermore, journals are usually published on a regular basis; for example, monthly, quarterly, annually, etc. Moreover, they have sequential numbers. Each journal is an issue; a set of issues makes a volume. In general, each year has a separate volume. 

Difference Between Article and Journal

Definition

An article is a written composition in prose, usually nonfiction, on a specific topic, forming an independent part of a publication, while a journal is a collection of scholarly articles written by researchers and other experts.

Length

A journal article is several pages long, and a collection of these articles make up a journal. Moreover, an article is much shorter than a book, while a journal may be roughly the same length of a book.

Structure

A journal article typically has an abstract, headings and sub-headings and a bibliography at the end. Each journal is an issue; a set of issues makes a volume. In general, each year has a separate volume.

Conclusion

An article is a prose; usually, nonfiction, on a specific topic, forming an independent part of a publication. A journal, on the other hand, is a collection of scholarly articles. Hence, this is the difference between article and journal. 

Reference:

1. “What’s a Journal?” University of Victoria, Available here.
2. “What Is a Journal Article? (What Is an Article?) .” SFU Library, Available here.

Image Courtesy:

1. “Lorem Ipsum Article” By Paraschivu.Florin – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Academic Journal of Languages and Literature” By Ulker Ramazan – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia