Contents of this module:

• What is a periodical?
• Types of periodical articles
  • Popular magazine
  • Scholarly journal
  • Newspaper
• Finding periodical articles on my topic
• Use Periodical Locator to find the text
• Determine if the journal is peer-reviewed (refereed)
• Making copies

What is a periodical?

A periodical is material that is published at regular intervals (monthly, quarterly, daily, etc.). Magazines, journals and newspapers are periodicals.

Periodical articles often contain current information, which is especially important in fields such as science, business, psychology, and technology.  Subjects too new or too specialized to be covered by books are often covered by magazines, journals, and newspapers.

Types of periodical articles

	popular magazine - Popular magazines are written for the general public with the purpose of informing and entertaining. Newsweek, Time, and Ebony are examples of popular magazines. Because of their easy reading style, magazines may be a good starting point in understanding a topic.
.	scholarly journal - Scholarly journals typically have articles written by authorities in the field. They may report research or provide a scholarly discussion of a topic. They usually include bibliographies. For most college level papers, you should rely more heavily on articles from scholarly journal.
	Most journals are peer-reviewed (refereed).  Scholarly journal articles are reviewed by experts on the topic before being accepted for publication. Some scholarly journals do not have a peer review process, but have an editorial board that reviews articles to judge their quality before acceptance for publication. Both peer review and editorial board review are indicators of high quality.
	newspaper - Newspapers provide accounts of current events and can show trends of public opinion. Older issues of newspapers provide a record of past ideas, problems, and events.

The most efficient way to locate periodical articles on a topic is to use research databases. Be sure to choose an index or database that covers your topic.  For magazine and journal articles see General Articles Databases or Databases by Subject.   For newspaper articles see News Articles Databases.  Many databases will link you directly to an article.

If you already have a good article or book on your topic, the easiest way to find additional articles is to look in the bibliography.

Use Periodical Locator to find the text

If you find a citation to an article, look in Periodical Locator to find the text of the article in the library or online.

 

If Carrier Library does not provide access, you may order a copy through Interlibrary Loan. (Find out about ILL)

 

 

 

Determine if the journal is peer-reviewed (refereed)

Many databases will allow you to limit to peer-reviewed or refereed journals.  You may also look in Periodical Locator for a journal and click on Title Details in UlrichWeb.  Click on Title details below and see if this journal is peer-reviewed or refereed.

Periodical Locator entry for a journal

 

 

Journal of abnormal and social psychology  (0096-851X)    Title details from ulrichsweb.com™        from 1925 to 1964 in PsycARTICLES from 1939 to 1964 in James Madison University Print Holdings

Making copies

Periodicals do not circulate, but you may make a photocopy using your JAC Card FLEX account for 8.5 cents a page. For computer printouts the cost is 5 cents a page.