A technical or trade journal is a publication which is targeted to people in a very specific industry. For people outside the industry, a trade journal can seem boring or incomprehensible, while people in the industry use the trade journal to keep up on developments in the industry, connect with potential employers, and network with suppliers. Most industries have trade journals, ranging from huge industries like biotechnology to much smaller and specialized industries such as landscape architecture.

One of the defining features of a trade journal is a high volume of industry-specific advertising. In a teaching trade journal, for example, ads for products which are designed to help teachers may be widely scattered throughout the journal, sometimes taking the form of multiple page layouts which masquerade as articles. A trade journal also usually has notices of job openings in the industry, along with brief articles on leaders in the industry and recent developments which may be of interest.

By contrast, some industries also publish peer reviewed journals, which are collections of original research which have been evaluated by an independent panel of peers. The sciences boast a huge number of peer reviewed journals, allowing researchers to share their work with other people in the community and to solicit criticism. Sometimes the line between a peer reviewed journal and a trade journal may be slim, with some peer reviewed publications having a high percentage of advertising.

When researching a trade or industry, a trade journal can sometimes be a useful starting point, especially if you have a glossary of trade terms handy. People who keep an eye on various industries often subscribe to trade journals so that they are alerted to developments in the field; for example, researchers who study food politics and the food supply are often interested to learn about new preservation methods, food hybrids, or innovative approaches to marketing campaigns.

Because a trade journal is so specialized, such journals are usually not readily available at bookstores, newsstands, and other places you might turn to for printed media. The best source for a trade journal is often the publisher or a professional association which caters to members of the industry. If you want to find a trade journal specific to a particular industry, try searching for that industry and “trade journal” in your favorite search engine to see what comes up. Some publishers will send out issues for free to people in the industry, or journalists who request them, and a trade journal subscription is often included with membership in a professional organization.