CS 368: Seminar: Home

The popular press is used to refer to publications, such as newspapers and magazines, that can be easily read and understood by a general audience. Over time, newspapers, magazines, and online news providers develop a reputation. Some focus on investigative reporting, some are independent, others cater to certain points of view, and some exist only to generate advertising revenue. 

The writers (journalists and freelancers) are paid for their work. Many of them have an educational background, or training, in journalism or communications. An editor or editorial board oversees the publication process and makes the final decision on which stories are published.

How does academic information or scholarly research get covered by the popular press?

Editors are looking for content that their readers will find engaging. The writers working for these publications get leads on stories from:

• Presentations given at conferences and meetings
• Press releases from universities, research labs, and professional associations
• Articles in journals and trade publications
• Social media (for example: 100 Scientists on Twitter by Category)

Scholarly sources are publications, such as journals and monographs (scholarly books), that are more technical and written for an expert audience. The writers have advanced degrees and are experts in their field. Their papers might describe their studies and findings, review the state of knowledge in a specific area, or present theories. An editor oversees the publication process and journal editors often use peer review to ensure they are publishing the most scientifically sound papers. 

In the field of computer science, papers presented at conferences and published in a Proceedings often undergo the same rigorous peer review process used by journals.