Women's and Gender Studies 

Articles can be found in publications called magazines, journals, periodicals, newspapers and other publications.

These often can be referred to as serials and have a set, regular publishing schedule e.g. daily, weekly, monthly annually, etc.

Articles are good sources for:

• Most recent research or information on a topic
• coverage of a very narrow topic
• coverage of current events
• contemporary accounts of past events and research

Write down research questions for your topic and underline key concepts and keywords. Think of broader or narrower terms depending on what search results you retrieve from those concepts and keywords.

Think of synonyms and alternative terms to search and refer to a Thesaurus for more ideas.

Remember most databases will have a list of suggested subject terms. By choosing these you can narrow your search to those articles relate to what you are searching for.

Did you know that the library subscribes to 290 databases? You have many databases to choose from to find articles for your topic. Some may contain full-text articles but some do not. Here are some top databases for you to start your search in.

The Libraries subscribes to over 24,000 journals digitally! This means there is a good chance you may be able to find your article full-text by accessing it through the Libraries on-line catalog.

There are a variety of ways to find out if the libraries subscribe to to the journals you need.

• If you already have the citation to an article use MARQCAT to search for the journal. Search the journal title NOT the title the article you are looking for.

• Example:
  Trends in Internet information behavior, 2000-2004
  Wayne Buente, Alice Robbin. Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology. Hoboken: Sep 2008. Vol. 59, Iss. 11; p. 1743.
• In order to find the above article you would have to type: " Journal of the American Society for Information Science and Technology" into MARQCAT in to see this record which says the journal is available electronically through the library.

• This can also be found using the "Findit at MU" button located in many of the databases. Use this link to determine if the library has the item in print or electronically if the database does not offer the article in full-text.
  
  

• If you can not find the article electronically or in print you can request it through Interlibrary Loan. This can be done by using the "Findit at MU" button as well. Click on "Request a Article" and the ILL form will pop up after logging in. This form is filled in for you to easily request the article.

You should critically consider if an article is appropriate to use for your topic and type of assignment.

Consider:

• Type of Publication
  • Is it a popular magazine, newspaper, trade journal, alternative, or scholarly journal?
• Purpose
  • Is the intent to inform, entertain, persuade or educate?
• Objectivity
  • Are various sides or points of view represented?
• Author
  • Does the author have expertise on their topic?
• Bibliography
  • Can also be called a works cited page. Are the sources of information in the article cited completely?

Types of Periodicals:

You will find many different types of periodicals. The common ones you will find while researching are:

• Scholarly Journals
  • Use for expert options and recent research results
• Popular, News and Option Magazines
  • Use for current topics, trends, and popular culture
• Trade Magazines
  • Use for subject-specific information
• Alternative Press
  • Use for exposure to diverse viewpoints
• Newspapers
  • Use for current and/or local topics

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