Transcript Slide 1

What is a journal?
 Journals are also known as serials or periodicals
 Journals are published by academic institutions,
organisations and commercial publishers on a
regular basis.
 Some are published weekly, most are published
monthly or bi-monthly, others quarterly or even just
once a year.
 Journals can be in print or electronic format and
some are available as both.
What is a journal article?
 If you think of a journal as a 'book', then a journal
article is a 'chapter' within that book.
 The articles are written by experts in a particular field
of study, based on research that they have a
personal involvement with.
 The research might include case studies or primary
source research.
 An understanding of the vocabulary and knowledge
of the field is assumed.
Recognise a journal reference
Author(s) / editor(s)
Year
Article Title
 Broadbridge, A. and Swanson, V. 2005. Earning and
learning: how termtime employment impacts on
students adjustment to university life. Journal of
education and Work 18 (2) pp235-249
Volume Issue
page no.
Journal title
Why are journals useful sources of
information?
 They allow you to find the most recent research, long
before they get into books.
 The articles are often on very specific topics.
 You have to test the reliability of all information
including in journals, but as they are peer reviewed
they should be authorative.
 The reference can lead you additional information
What is the best way to find journal
articles?
 If you know the journal is taken available
electronically, you can search the individual
publication, check the library catalogue.
 Using an appropriate database where the indexing
has been done for you.
 If you draw a blank try:
 Internet: eg Google Scholar with speech
marks around the title or phrase
How do I search for journal articles on
my topic ?
 Learn where to look for articles for your assignments
by knowing what journals, magazines and databases
are subscribed to.
 Databases will list thousands of articles (some will be
full text, others just an abstract)
Which journal / database?
 Some magazines are available as print or an
electronic version over the Internet.
 There are a selection of databases available to
Wiltshire College students from which articles can be
searched for and retrieved.
You can find them linked from Signpost and eStudy
E-Journal link Databases link
How can I search more effectively?
1. Define the topic and break it down into concepts
2. Choose your keywords/phrases to describe concepts
3. Combine the keywords
4. Consider using truncation and/or wildcards.
5. Try out the search and evaluate the results.
6. Refine the search if necessary.
Journals held at another Wiltshire
College campus
 If the library catalogue indicates that the journal you
are looking for, is held at one of the other site
libraries, you can request a photocopy (or scan) of
the specific article.
 Please allow a couple of days for delivery.
How can I get articles I find?
 If the journal in which the article you have located is
not taken by Wiltshire College or your partner
university.
 If not found full text in any of the databases available
from the college or your partner university.
 Provide the full bibliographic details to the LRC desk
and we will try and get it from the British Library as
an interlibrary loan.
If you need help locating journal
articles please ask.