Skip to Main Content

Public Services: Journals

Why should I use them?

  •  Journals are a good source of up-to-date information- they may be published every week or every month 
  • They specialise in particular fields of expertise- the police service or fire service for example
  •  Many are peer-reviewed which means they are acknowledged as a trustworthy source by other experts
  • In some fields- particularly the sciences- most research is published as articles in journals rather than in books
  • Journals provide insight into current thinking, debate and research

What are journals?

Journals are sometimes also referred to as periodicals.

Here's the dictionary definition:

"A journal is a magazine, especially one that deals with a specialised subject"

"Periodicals are magazines, especially serious or academic ones, that are published at regular intervals"

(Collins cobuild English dictionary for advanced learners, 2001)

 

Journals are available in either print or electronic form. Paper journals are kept on the display shelves in the LRC.  E-journals are found on the LRC's E-library.

 

E-journals and how to find them

A brief introduction.

How to reference a journal article