Professional or trade journals are written for professionals who work in a particular field.  For instance, American Family Physician is written for doctors engaged in family practice, doctors who diagnose and treat a wide variety of diseases or illnesses to which the common family is susceptible.  Professionals who work in the field of advertising, whether in sales, copy writing or production, will be familiar with the trade journal Advertising Age.

Professional or trade journals provide timely news about new products and services of use to the professional clientele that is likely to read the journal.  Mention of research conducted in the field is sometimes present, although full research articles tend to be rare.  Students interested in a particular field of work may use such journals as sources if their professors allow them but should not mistake a professional or trade for a scholarly peer reviewed or referred journal.  The two are not the same.