Finding journal articles: Information technology at your fingertips

The key places to start looking for information are:

Academic journals are important sources of information because they provide up-to-date research and detailed evidence on specific topics. Articles in such journals are also independently peer-reviewed to ensure the quality and accuracy of the information presented. Many libraries keep the latest issue of a journal in a display section until the next issue arrives, and allow the display issue only to be read (but not borrowed) until it is superseded by the next issue. Usually only staff are allowed to borrow journals. The current journal display area will provide you with a quick idea of the type of journals available in your area. You could also ask your lecturer or tutor to recommend some journals.

Abstract and index journal databases

To find a journal article, you need to search indexes which contain all the bibliographic details (author, title, date …) and in some cases the abstracts (or summaries) of journal articles published in a particular discipline. The indexes list journal articles by topic, author and keywords. They are updated regularly. Indexes exist in the following formats: hard copy, microfiche, CD-ROM and online databases accessed via the web. The number of journals a particular index covers vary from a couple of hundred to thousands. While libraries will have the hard copy or microfiche version (particularly for earlier years), most journal information is now accessed via CD-ROM and the web. This makes the whole process of finding journal articles quick and easy. For example, you can search journal databases by typing in either an author, title or keyword, as you would with your online library catalogue. Libraries often publish their own handouts on how to use journal databases. Thankfully, most of them are fairly similar and intuitive—that is, they use menus which are easy to follow.

Annual Review journals and annual journal indexes

For comprehensive overviews of particular topics, consider using Annual Review journals, which are available for most disciplines, such as the Annual Review of Psychology,Annual Review of Nursing Research and the Annual Review of Sociology. Articles within these journals can also be helpful sources of further references by which you can springboard to finding more information.

Some journals also publish an annual index that lists the complete contents of the journal for the whole year. An annual index is of great help for the current year of a journal becauseitislikelythatitistooearly foritscontentstobe included in an electronic abstract and index database.

Using newspapers and current affairs magazines

Newspapers and magazines can be an important source of current information. However, they should be treated with caution. There are often many errors in such publications. There is also bias and often little analysis of the issues, so don't base an important fact or argument solely on information derived from a newspaper or current affairs magazine. By all means use such sources where necessary, but ensure that you have more credible, academic sources of information based on academic journals and books. Finding articles in newspapers and magazines can be a labour-intensive process of flipping through recent hard-copy editions or viewing reams of microfiche.

Vital statistics

Many countries have government agencies that compile statistics. For example, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) compiles a whole range of statistics on Australia. It regularly publishes Census data and information compiled from specific surveys. Governments also publish many useful documents through their various departments. You can contact the department you are interested in (such as the Department of Industrial Relations) and ask for a publication brochure. Sometimes independent bodies are established by the government to compile information and undertake research on specific topics. In Australia, an example is the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) which produces many helpful publications. International comparisons of data are usually found in Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), United Nations and World Bank publications. Many of these publications are available in libraries or via the web.