Lesson 3

Since periodicals are issued at regular intervals (monthly, weekly, daily), the articles they contain are often a more current source of information than books. The Fountain-New Library subscribes to many different periodicals covering a variety of subjects. These publications are available in several formats: print (paper), electronic (Internet), microfilm reels or microfiche (microfilm in a sheet format).

There are two different kinds of periodicals: scholarly journals and popular magazines. For the purposes of research, it is best to consult scholarly journals. The chart below lists ways to differentiate between scholarly and popular publications.

Scholarly Journals	Popular Magazines
Identify authors for articles	May not always name authors for articles
Experts write the articles	Writers are not always experts and articles are written for general entertainment
Usually, articles do not include photographs, but do have graphs and charts	Articles often include photographs, but rarely graphs and charts
Provide bibliographies and/or footnotes	Do not cite references
Are written for a specific field of study and include specialized language	The magazines have many advertisements

A citation provides the pertinent information needed to locate a specific article. In addition, this information is necessary when providing bibliographic references so that readers of your work may consult the same articles for further information. Elements of a bibliographic citation include:

The Fountain-New Library offers access to journal articles through electronic databases for its External Program patrons. [See Lesson 5: How to Use Electronic Databases.] Many of the databases offer full-text articles; therefore, this is one the most efficient ways to locate periodical sources. If full-text is not available, the databases will provide a citation and short summary. In this case you will need to locate the periodical in which the article was published. You can find a complete list of the periodical titles held by the Fountain-New Library by clicking on the Periodicals Holdings link. This alphabetical list indicates for each periodical title whether current issues are available, the range of years held, and the format of the holdings: print, microfilm or microfiche. If you find that the journal is available in the library, you may submit a Journal Article Request Form for the article. If the library does not own the periodical, you may request the article through InterLibrary Loan.

Scholarly Journals

Popular Magazines