Using journals What is a journal? Why use them? How do I find them? How do I find out what’s in them? What about referencing?

What is a journal? According to the Concise OED “a newspaper or magazine dealing with a particular subject” Also called Serials, Periodicals. Published daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly…… Divided into volumes, parts and issues

Different types of journals Newspapers Popular magazines aimed at the general reader e.g. BBC Wildlife Magazine Serious scholarly publications containing accounts of research projects or theories where articles are reviewed by other academics e.g. Royal Society of Chemistry journals

Why use them? Good source of up to date material – or contemporary material Research published more quickly in a journal than in a book. Good source of more specialised material Not everything makes it into a book

How do you find good ones to use? Use Subject guides Library Catalogue Digital Library “find e-journals” Recommendations Browsing

How do I get at the content? Use Indexes and Databases. Most are in the Digital Library

References to journal articles Will contain Title and Author (s) of the Article Title of the journal The year of publication The Volume Number, Part and/or Issue of journal Page numbers of Article

Article you want not in the Library? Use Inter Library Loan (ILL) Request form on the Library Catalogue £1.00 per item Article sent direct to your mailing address

Remember copyright …… As a general rule, you are allowed to copy ONE article from any one issue of a journal.

Referencing Guides available on the Library web site Harvard OSCOLA (Law) APA (Psychology)