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Frequently Asked Questions

How do I find journal articles?

How do I find out if UC Libraries owns a journal?

Can I borrow periodicals from University Libraries?

What do I do if UC does not own?

What are scholarly, refereed, trade or popular journals?

My citation uses an abbreviated title!

Having problems connecting?

 

How do I find journal articles?

Step 1 - CHOOSE AN INDEX
To find articles on a topic, use indexes and databases. Most periodical indexes are now available online from the Indexes & databases link. Indexes allow you to search the contents of hundreds of magazines or journal at one time. Choose either a general index; e.g. Expanded Academic ASAP, or Academic Search Premier; or one that focuses on your topic, e.g. Education Abstracts or ABI Inform (business).

Step 2 - SEARCH THE INDEX
Use keyword or subject searching using your topic to find articles of interest. The index will locate bibliographic citations related to your topic. Citations usually include the title of the article, its author, journal title, date, and publication information. An abstract or summary is often provided, and sometimes the full text of the article. If the full text of the article is not online, you need to find out if UC Libraries owns the journal.

Step 3 - FIND THE JOURNAL

How do I find out if UC Libraries owns a journal?

Once you have a citation for your article (title and author of the article, volume and year of the journal, and journal title) you search by journal title in the Library Catalog (UCLID) and in the Full Text Journals list. When searching UCLID for journals, always change selection to view "Periodicals/ Serials" to limit your search results. If you need a current issue, it is shelved by title in the current periodicals collection, older issues are often found hardbound in the library bookstacks. In Langsam, you need the call number for the title listed in the Library Catalog to locate older volumes.

Can I borrow periodicals from University Libraries?

Periodicals do not circulate out of the building. If UCLID shows a status of LIB USE ONLY, you will need to photocopy your article to take it out of the library. All photocopiers accept the Bearcat ard; some copiers accept small bills and change. Bearcat Cards can be purchased for $1 at Langsam Library and other locations on campus. Change for large bills is not available in the library, please come prepared.

What do I do if UC does not own?

If UC does not own the journal, you can use Interlibrary Loan to request the article from other libraries.

What are scholarly, refereed, trade and popular journals?

Scholarly Journal:

• Reports original research or experimentation.
• Articles written by an expert in the field for other experts in the field.
• Articles use specialized jargon of the discipline.
• Articles undergo peer review process before acceptance for publication in order to assure creative content.
• Authors of articles always cite their sources in the form of footnotes or bibliographies.

Examples of scholarly journals:

• The International Journal of Applied Engineering Education
• Journal of the Association for Computing Machinery
• Journal of Organizational Behavior

Refereed or Peer-Reviewed Journal

A refereed journal has the same characteristics as a scholarly journal except that manuscripts are more carefully reviewed before publication. A structured reviewing system is used in which at least two reviewers, excluding in-house editors, evaluate each unsolicited manuscript and advise the editor to accept or reject. Refereed is used interchangeably with peer-reviewed in Ulrich's International Periodicals Directory. You can determine if a journal is refereed by looking in the Document type and Special features fields of an Ulrich's record.

Trade Journal

• Discusses practical information in industry.
• Contains business news, product information, advertising, and trade articles.
• Contains information on current trends in technology.
• Articles usually written by experts in the field for other experts in the field.
• Articles use specialized jargon of the discipline.
• Useful to people in the trade field and to people seeking orientation to a vocation.

Examples of trade journals:

• Aviation Week and Space Technology
• Chemical Marketing Reporter
• Professional Engineer
  

General Interest Magazine

• Provides information in a general manner to a broad audience.
• Articles generally written by a member of the editorial staff or a free lance writer.
• Language of articles geared to any educated audience, no subject expertise assumed.
• Articles are often heavily illustrated, generally with photographs.
• No peer review process.
• Sources are sometimes cited, but more often there are no footnotes or bibliography.

Examples of general interest magazines:

• Newsweek
• Psychology Today
• Popular Electronics
  

Popular Magazine

• Articles are short and written in simple language with little depth to the content of these articles.
• The purpose is generally to entertain, not necessarily inform.
• Information published in popular magazines is often second or third hand.
• The original source of information contained in articles is obscure.
• Articles are written by staff members or free lance writers.

Examples of popular magazines:

• People
• Reader's Digest

My citation uses an abbreviated title!

• All That JAS: Journal Abbreviation Sources - a registry of web resources that list or provide access to the full title of journal abbreviations
• Acronym Database -a list of acronyms (abbreviations constructed mostly from the initial letters of the words of a phrase), gathered from many sources and submitted by users
• Acronym Finder -a searchable database of acronyms and abbreviations

Having problems connecting?

Most article indexes and library catalogs can be accessed from your dorm room, computer lab, or from home. See Off Campus Access for instructions.