Academic Journals
Also called Scholarly Journals, Peer-Reviewed Journals, or Refereed Journals
Useful for
- Reliable, scholarly information about a very specific topic
- Current research reports and data
- In-depth analysis, criticism, and emerging ideas from experts in the field
Points to Consider
- Written for scholars, researchers, and experts in the field
- Articles often include technical jargon related to the field and assume some background knowledge of the subject
How to Search for Academic Journals
- Use OneSearch or specific databases to find academic journal articles.
- If you know the title of the journal you're looking for, use Journal Finder.
Magazines
Includes
- Popular magazines (ex. Newsweek, Time, People)
- Trade magazines (ex. The Economist, Advertising Age)
Useful For
- Popular magazines: general articles on a wide variety of topics
- Trade magazines: current trends and information a specific topic or industry
Points to Consider
- Magazine articles are often written by professional journalists, not experts in the field. What are the author's qualifications to write about the topic? Have they done a sufficient amount of reliable background research? What facts do they use to support the content of the article?
- Magazine articles rarely provide citations for their sources. You may have to do additional research to verify information found in magazine articles.
- Magazines contain a wide variety of article types, including news articles, letters, editorials, surveys, essays, etc. Consider the type of article, and any potential bias of the author. For example, an editorial, which usually contains the opinion of the author, may not be the best source for factual information.
How to Search for Magazine Articles
- Use OneSearch to find the library's print magazines. They are in the periodicals section on the first floor of the Hardin Valley Library.
- Use the databases to find older articles and magazines not available in print.
Newspapers
Useful For
- Very recent articles and information about current events, news, and issues
- Local newspapers are a good source for information relating to a specific city or region
- Newspaper archives can be a good source for historical information
Points to Consider
- Newspaper articles are often written by professional journalists, not experts in the field. What are the author's qualifications to write about the topic? Have they done a sufficient amount of background research? What facts do they use to support the content of the article?
- Newspaper articles rarely provide citations for their sources. You may have to do additional research to verify information found in newspaper articles.
- Newspapers contain a wide variety of article types, including news articles, letters, editorials, surveys, essays, etc. Consider the type of article, and any potential bias of the author. For example, an editorial, which usually contains the opinion of the author, may not be the best source for factual information.
How to Search for Newspaper Articles
- Use OneSearch to find the library's print newspapers. They are in the periodicals section on the first floor of the Hardin Valley Library.
- Use the news databases to find older news articles and newspapers not available in print.
