Atkinson Library

Finding Periodical and Journal Articles in the JCC Library

What is a periodical?

Anything that is published at regular intervals throughout the year such as a magazine, journal, or newspaper:

  • Magazine: A magazine is a collection of articles and images about diverse topics of popular interest and current events. Usually these articles are written by journalists or scholars and are geared toward the average adult.
  • Journal: A journal is a collection of articles usually written by scholars in an academic or professional field. An editorial board reviews articles to decide whether they should be accepted.
  • Newspaper: A newspaper is a collection of articles about current events usually published daily. Since there is at least one in every city, it is a great source for local information.

What is a "popular" article vs. a "scholarly" article?

There are many differences between popular and scholarly magazine and journal articles. To help you determine whether a magazine or journal article is popular or scholarly, take a look at the following guide provided by Michigan State University: Popular vs. Scholarly Periodicals.

How do I look for Articles on a specific topic?

Using a periodical index such as WilsonSelectPlus or ProQuest

What is a periodical index?

A periodical index contains the citations of articles in magazines, journals and newspapers. Some periodical indexes contain abstracts or brief summaries of the articles. A few contain the full text or entire content of whole articles as they originally appeared in the periodical. There are hundreds of different periodical indexes designed for different purposes and areas of study. Consult with a Reference Librarian for detailed guidance, or do the tutorials on the Library’s web site.

Some Suggested General Periodical Indexes for Starting Your Research

ProQuest

ProQuest provides access to the citations of articles (and in many cases, the full-text of articles) in a wide range of subject areas. Coverage includes Nursing and Criminal Justice.

Expanded Academic ASAP

Expanded Academic ASAP provides access to the full text of journal and magazine articles in a variety of disciplines, including art, education, health, business, general sciences, and many areas of general interest.

WilsonSelectPlus

WilsonSelectPlus provides access to the full text of journal and magazine articles in a variety of disciplines, including art, education, health, business, general sciences, and many areas of general interest.

Finding the Full Text of Articles after Searching an Index

Many indexes you search will provide the full text of articles; however, many others will not. For those that do not, there are several steps to take in finding the full text of articles (either in print format or online) after you have searched an index. The steps are detailed below:

Step 1: Finding Articles in Full-Text Indexes

When searching an index for articles (such as ProQuest or WilsonSelectPlus), take a look at your results screen or a more detailed record of the item you want to retrieve. Is there a link to the full text of the article somewhere in the results screen or a detailed records screen? The link may say Jump to Full Text, View Full Text, Text with Graphics, or Page Image PDF. If one of those links appears, click on it and you will retrieve the full text of the article.

Step 2: Finding Articles When There Is No Full-Text Available

Current issues of many magazines, journals and newspapers are arranged alphabetically by title in the front of the Library. Back issues are shelved in date order; microforms of some publications are available.

If the Library does not have electronic or print access to the journal you need, you can ask the Library to request a copy of an article from another library, free of charge. To make requests from another library, please see InterLibrary Loan Services. Note: you will need to copy-and-paste the whole citation (author, article title, journal title, volume, date, pages) to complete the necessary request forms.

Citing Your Work and Links to Further Resources

Don't forget to cite! See writing guides on how to cite your sources using various citation styles such as APA, MLA, and Chicago or Turabian. You will also find helpful links to additional online library resources such as dictionaries, encyclopedias, almanacs, and more using our online Web Research collection, or the Reference section of the Michigan eLibrary.

Finding Assistance in the JCC Library

If we can provide any further assistance to you in your research, do not hesitate to contact us through any of the following ways:

  • In person - At the Reference Desk in the Library, located in Atkinson Hall.
  • By phone - 517-787-0800 x8374
  • By fax - 517-796-8623
  • Email - Reference Librarians from JCC will answer your questions
  • Online - Ask a Michigan community college librarian your questions through chat/instant messenger at Research Help Now.
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