HOW TO FIND ARTICLES IN PERIODICALS
Periodical articles on a particular subject can be found by using one of many periodical indexes. They provide listings by subject (sometimes by author) for specific articles in magazines. These indexes are guides to published information in magazines or journals and appear on a continual basis at regular intervals throughout the year (monthly, quarterly, etc.).
Periodical indexes and electronic periodical databases are arranged by subject with listings of citations on those topics.
What is a Citation?
A citation is the basic information required to identify or locate a specific publication (book, article, video, etc.). It is a pointer (or reference) to more information. Citations are provided in print and electronic indexes and catalogs to identify resources. They are also included in research papers, articles, and books to reference text that has been quoted or a source that has been used as an authority.
NOTE: Citations may be found in many different places such as a bibliography, a database, a web page or other sources.
Citations may look like this:
OR in the electronic periodical databases, they may look like this:
When you find a citation in an electronic periodical database, it STILL MAY NOT HAVE full text. It may lead you back to a paper copy of a magazine that we have on the shelf. Pay attention to any notes in the database or citation to direct you to where you can find the article.
Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature. 1935 to date. (paper and online through OmniFile)
Start here for articles on almost any subject. This index covers general interest magazines which means that although you will be able to use articles found here as a starting point, you will usually need to go to another index to find the more professional or scholarly articles. Author and subject entries are arranged alphabetically. There is also an author listing of citations to book reviews following the main body of the index.
Academic Search Premier (online)
Provides full text for about 4,600 journals covering the social sciences, humanities, general sciences, multi-cultural studies, education, and much more. In addition to the full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for over 8,000 journals, with over 6,600 journals being peer reviewed. Full text backfiles go as far back as January of 1990, while indexing and abstract backfiles go back to January of 1984. This database is updated daily on EBSCOhost. This database is available from any network port on campus with Internet access. For off-campus access, an id and password are required. See a librarian for information. Coverage: 1975 - present.
MasterFile Premier (online)
MasterFILE Premier provides full text for over 2,000 general reference, business, consumer health, general science, and multi-cultural periodicals. In addition to the full text, this database offers indexing and abstracts for over 2,700 periodicals. Full text backfiles go back to January of 1990, while indexing and abstract backfiles go back to January of 1984. This database is updated daily on EBSCOhost. This database is available from any network port on campus with Internet access. For off-campus access, an id and password are required. See a librarian for information. Coverage: 1975 - present.
Research Library - all modules (online)
From business and political science to literature and psychology, ProQuest Research Library provides one-stop access to a wide range of popular academic subjects. The database includes more than 3,820 titles, over 2,550 in full text. It features a highly-respected, diversified mix of scholarly journals, trade publications, magazines, and newspapers. This combination of volume and scope makes it one of the broadest, most inclusive databases ProQuest has to offer. ProQuest Research Library consists of two components: a core list of periodicals; plus 15 supplemental subject-specific modules. Coverage: 1971 - present.
OmniFile Full Text, Mega Edition (online)
Wilson OmniFile Full Text, Mega Edition is a multi-disciplinary database providing the complete content - indexing, abstracts, and full text - from six of
Humanities Index. 1974 to date. (paper and online through OmniFile)
This index covers nearly 300 scholarly periodicals dealing with archaeology and classical studies, area studies, folklore, history, language and literature, literary and political criticism, performing arts, philosophy, religion, and related subjects. Author and subject entries to periodical articles are followed by a listing of book reviews, arranged by the authors of the books. Available in paper or online through Wilson OmniFile.
Social Sciences Index. 1974 to date. (paper and online through OmniFile)
This index covers over 300 scholarly periodicals in the fields of anthropology, area studies, psychology, public administration, sociology, and related fields. The format is similar to Humanities Index with a book review section following the author/subject entries. Available in paper or online through Wilson OmniFile.
General Science Index. 1978 to date. (paper and online through OmniFile)
A cumulative subject index to more than 100 English-language general science periodicals not completely covered by other abstracts and indexes. In addition, an author listing of citations to book reviews follows the main body of the index. No other author entries are included. Available in paper or online through Wilson OmniFile.
While most indexes have the same general format, each covers different subject matter or different kinds of periodicals. To determine the coverage of an index, read the introduction in one of the volumes. It will tell you how the index is arranged, what subjects it covers, and which periodicals and other types of sources it indexes.
If you are looking for information about a subject, you should begin your search by looking under the most specific topic of interest rather than a general heading. If you find nothing, use a SEE or SEE ALSO or related heading. Consult a Reference Librarian if you are still having trouble.
If you wish to find articles on a particular topic from different perspectives, you may have to consult more than one specific index. For example, if you are interested in finding out how violence on television affects viewers, you may wish to find information on:
See our COMPLETE LIST of article databases. See the descriptions next to the title for more detailed information about that database. Some are subject related.
Don't pay for articles!! If we don't own it, we will get it from someone else - FOR FREE!
Just fill out our forms - and you can get everything you want.
Many of the following indexes are now also available online. Please see a Reference Librarian if you have trouble finding the index that you need.
HUMANITIES
Book Review Index. 1965 - 2012.
Book Review Digest. 1905 - 2012.
Biography Index. 1946- 2011.
Essay and General Literature Index. 1960 to date.
MLA International Bibliography. 1969 to 1999. (available online)
Philosophers Index. 1980 to date. (also Religion & Philosophy Collection online)
Christian Periodical Index. 1956 to date. (available online)
Art Index. 1970 to date. (and through OmniFile)
ArtStor. (available online)
SOCIAL SCIENCES
Business Periodicals Index. 1958 to date. (and through OmniFile)
Business Source Premier. 1990 to date. (available online)
ERIC (Education Research Information Center). [comprised of the two indexes RIE and CIJE]. 1966 to date. (available online)
Education Index. 1929 to date. (and through OmniFile)
PsycINFO. 1887 to date. (available online)
Social Work Research and Abstracts. 1969 to date. (also SocIndex online)
Sociological Collection. 1965 to date. (available online)
Communication & Mass Media Complete. 1946 to date. (available online)
Proquest Alt-Press Watch. 1970’s to date. (available online) This is a full text database of the newspapers, magazines and journals from alternative and independent presses.
SCIENCE AND HEALTH
Physical Education Index. 1984 to date.
MEDLINE. 1966 to date. (available online)
Cumulative Index to Nursing & Allied Health Literature (CINAHL). 1982 to date. (available online)
Agricola. 1970 to date. (available online)