Simile is a comparison of two things using the words like or as.. He looks like an elephant. Symbolism is a literary method of extending meaning through the use of commonly accepted symbols or something that stands for another thing.
Scholarly literature is written by researchers who are experts in their field. People who write for academic journals are employed by colleges, universities, or other institutions of education or research. They submit articles to the editors of the journals, who decide whether or not to publish the article.
The purpose of scholarly journals is to inform other scholars of research findings. Some knowledge of the subject terminology is required. Authors are experts (professors, researchers, or scholars) in their field. Content tends to be highly specialized and includes research projects, methodology and theory. See Anatomy of a Scholarly Article [NCSU Libraries] Appearance is sometimes sober and serious, compared to popular magazines.