Types of Journals
Not all journals are created equal, and not all will be appropriate for every research need. These are the most common types of journals you are likely to encounter in your research, presented in order from most to least academic or scholarly:
- Scholarly Journals: reports of original research, theoretical, experimental or applied; many are refereed/peer-reviewed
- Trade/Professional Journals: current trends, news & events in a particular field; some are peer-reviewed
- Journals of Commentary or Opinion: commentary on political & social issues; often source of specific political viewpoint, e.g., conservative, liberal, or specific interest group
- Newspapers: current information, news stories; local & regional focus
- Popular Magazines: current events & news; primary source for popular culture
Databases and Electronic Journals
- Academic Search Complete This link opens in a new windowAcademic Search Complete features thousands of full-text journals. This scholarly collection offers coverage of information spanning a wide range of important areas of academic study from anthropology to zoology.
- Computer Source This link opens in a new windowComputer Source provides researchers with the latest information and current trends in high technology. This database offers full text for nearly 300 publications and indexing and abstracts for nearly 450 publications.
- EBSCO eBook Collection This link opens in a new windowEbsco E-Book Collection contains full-text books covering many academic subject areas and popular topics.
- Films on Demand This link opens in a new window
Films on Demand contains educational streaming videos from Films Media Group. Special features allow users the ability to organize and bookmark clips, create and share playlists, personalize folders, and manage their collection through a robust administrative reporting system. - GeoGebra This link opens in a new windowFree online math tools for graphing, geometry, and many more.
- Information Science & Technology Abstracts (ISTA) This link opens in a new windowInformation Science & Technology Abstracts is a leading database in the areas of information science. ISTA indexes journal articles from more than 450 publications plus books, research reports, and conference proceedings and patents, with ongoing comprehensive coverage of the most important periodicals in this field. Coverage dates back to the mid 1960s.
- InTechOpen This link opens in a new windowOver 3,200 open access books covering topics from mathematics to nursing.
- Library, Information Science & Technology Abstracts (LISTA) This link opens in a new windowLibrary, Information Science & Technology Abstracts indexes more than 560 core journals, nearly 50 priority journals, and nearly 125 selective journals; plus books, research reports and proceedings. Subject coverage includes librarianship, classification, cataloging, bibliometrics, online information retrieval, information management and more. Coverage in the database extends back as far as the mid-1960s.
- Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI) This link opens in a new windowAn academic open-access publisher with headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, MDPI publishes 183 diverse peer-reviewed, scientific, open access, electronic journals.
- Science & Technology Collection This link opens in a new windowScience & Technology Collection contains over 830 leading full text journals covering relevant aspects of the scientific and technical community. Topics include aeronautics, astrophysics, chemistry, computer technology, geology, aviation, physics, archaeology, and materials science. In addition to the full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for more than 1,740 publications.
Google vs. Databases
Tips for Searching Databases
- Selecting a Database
The Library’s database page is divided into categories by subject area. There are also categories for general resources and reference. Hover over any database on the library’s webpage to view a description of its contents. In selecting a database, consider what type of information you are hoping to find. Some databases contain scholarly journal articles; others contain films and videos. Some databases provide news sources and reference articles; others contain a variety of information in a variety of formats. Try searching different databases with different content types for the best results.
- Using and Combining Keywords
Before you begin searching, brainstorm keywords and combinations of keywords that are related to your topic. Think about which aspects of the topic interest you. For example, if your topic is Climate Change you may be interested in the science behind climate or, you may be more focused on political aspects. You can combine keywords to refine your results and make your searching more effective.
- Refining your Results
Most databases have options that allow you to narrow your search results. Some examples to look for include:
Source type- This can help if you want to limit your search to academic or peer reviewed journals.
Publication Date- Chance are, you want the most current information on your topic. Usually, you can select a date range. This helps you weed out old information that is no longer relevant.
Language/Geographic Region-Sometimes your results list can get bogged down with articles published in another country or written in a different language.
- Tools and Features
Many databases have tools that can help you organize your research and save your results. Look for tools that allow you to:
- Download/Save
- Cite
- Export