URBAN STUDIES ARTICLES
Journal Articles
A journal article is written by a scholar or an expert, and provides a detailed analysis of a topic. It is written in the specialized language of a scholarly discipline (such as Sociology). It documents the resources the writer used by providing bibliographic citations such as footnotes, endnotes, and bibliography so a reader can check or repeat the research the scholar has completed.
A scholarly journal is edited by scholars, and any article published in the journal has usually been approved by the author's peers or by referees (other scholars expert in the subject who serve as editors or readers and critique the article before it is accepted for publication). This is why most scholarly journals are referred to as a Peer-Reviewed or Refereed journals.
Use a *library database such as Sociological Abstracts to search for journal articles on a topic. You can use others depending what topic you are researching: ERIC, PsycINFO, Social Sciences Abstracts.
FOR HELP with searching a library database, see Urban Studies Database Instructions.
Magazine & Newspaper Articles
Magazine and newspaper articles can be used to explore a potential topic, or may be a necessary part of the source material a researcher needs to read because of the nature of the topic, for example, a topic dealing with contemporary society, or with current political events.
Use a *library database such as Reader's Guide Abstracts or Academic Search Premier to search for magazine articles, and LEXIS-NEXIS or Proquest Newspapers to search for newspaper articles.
To Access Library Databases
Go to the Periodicals Research section of the Library webpage, and use Article Databases A - Z to select the database you want.
*FOR HOME USE of databases, the Proxy Service must be used; see Off-Campus Access for instructions.
Created: 1 June 2006 / Last updated: 22 September 2007 / JTMellone