ECN 230 | Benefit Cost Analysis

Audience

Written for a very general and broad audience.

Written for a broad audience of concerned citizens.

Written for those with an interest in a particular industry.

Written for those with an interest in a particular profession.

Written for scholars, professionals,  researchers, students within the field.

Purpose

General information, with a purpose to entertain or inform. Secondary discussion of someone else's research.  May include personal narrative or opinion. 

News and/or analysis of current events.

Industry-related information, current events, ideas, products, services, job ads.

Practical information for those working in the profession: developments, research articles, trends, products.

In-depth original scholarly research, with the goal of scholarly communication.

Appearance

Colorful and attractive. Heavily illustrated, often with photographs.  Lots of ads.

Typically colorful and attractive. Ads.

Color photographs, visually appealing, industry-specific ads

Profession-related ads, some graphics and charts.

Generally have a sober, serious look.  May contain graphs and charts, with very few photos or ads.

Examples

Language

Uses general language, usually on a ninth grade reading level.

Uses general language.

Uses specialized terminology or jargon of the field.

Uses many technical terms specific to the profession.

Uses technical terminology specific to the subject.  Requires expertise in the subject.

Authors

Authors are journalists or staff writers.

Authors are staff writers, scholars, or freelance writers.

Authors are professionals within the field or journalists with subject expertise.

Authors are professionals within the field or journalists with subject expertise.

Authors are specialists, researchers, scholars within the field.

Sources

Little, if any information about sources is provided.

Little, if any information about sources is provided.

Occasional references are provided.

Occasional references are provided.

Sources or references are provided. Facts are verifiable, source information used is verifiable.

Pagination

Each issue begins with page one.

Each issue begins with page one.

Each issue begins with page one.

Each issue begins with page one.

Each volume/year begins with page one, and consecutively continues through the end of the volume/year.

Examples

Ebony, Readers' Digest, Newsweek, People, Sports Illustrated, Time.

National Geographic, Economist, New York Times, Nation, National Review, Atlantic Monthly.

Billboard, Beverage World, Computerworld, Editor & Publishers, Oil and Gas Investor.

Physical Therapy, Phi Delta Kappan, Reading Teacher, Music Educators Journal.

Journal of Marketing, Sex Roles, Analytical Chemistry, American Sociological Review.