Right tools
Information comes in many ways. To search efficiently and be able to answer your research needs you must know what is available and understand their strengths and weaknesses.
. Good for current events and general information.
. Print magazines are better for browsing and for serendipitus searching.
. The library only keeps past print issues for 1 or 2 years. For research purposes, use our databases and get access to hundreds of full-text articles.
Our databases provide access to the full text of hundreds of magazines and academic journals as well as the full text of selected general and subject-specific reference works. Databases are more reliable than the Internet.
. The internet is powerful if you know how to search it and frustrating if you don’t.
. Make sure you check the Web Site Evaluation section of this site.
. There are good online tutorials, or come see me for a short one-on-one session.
INTERVIEWS
Field experts can offer a wealth of information. An interview gives you the chance to ask the questions that matter to you and be up-to-date with the topic at hand.
JOURNAL = Scholarly, professional, peer-reviewed academic publication
MAGAZINE = Popular publication
| MAGAZINES | JOURNALS |
|
. Authors are typically generalists . Provide overview of topic . Cover several topics of general interest . Focus is on secondary writing . Short articles . Familiar language . Articles reviewed by an editor |
. Provide deep analysis of topic . Specialized . Will typically publish primary sources/research . Longer articles . Scholarly/specialized language . Articles are peered reviewed (refereed by several experts) |
