Periodicals:
A General Overview
Definition:
Periodicals are publications that are published
in a regular, open-ended series.
Advantages:
The primary advantage that Periodicals have
over monographs is frequency of publication. When currency is needed, periodicals are
the publishing medium of choice.
The
Most Important Research is Published:
Sciences
= Periodicals
Social
Sciences = Periodicals for new research, books
for more in depth / historical treatment of
a topic
Humanities
= Books
Scholarly
Periodicals: Written for a scholarly
audience.
- Author
identified as scholar, credentials given
- User
of scholarly conventions (e.g. footnotes,
endnotes, bibliographies)
- Assumes
familiarity with the discipline and the
jargon of the field
- Report
original research or experimentation
Use
For:
- Fundamental Issues of the Field
- History
of Developments in the Field
- Philosophical
and High Level Discussions of the Field
Peer
Reviewed Journals: The Most Presigious of
the Scholarly Journals
This
means that all articles submitted for publication
are sent to a panel of scholars in the field
who decide which pieces of research are considered
significant enough to be included in the journal.
There is a reference book behind the reference
desk, Ulrich's, that will tell you
whether or not a journal is peer reviewed.
Popular
Periodicals: Written primarily
for a non-scholarly audience
- Reports
news and things of interest to the general
population
- Audience
is presumed to be educated, but no familiarity
with the specific discipline or jargon is
assumed
- Usually
do not adhere to scholarly conventions (e.g. footnotes, endnotes, bibliographies)
- Important
for news, but usually there is not much
analysis
Use
For:
- Current
Trends
- Latest
Developments
- Implementation
Issues
Trade
Periodicals: Written primarily for specialists in
a particular industry
- Devoted
to dissemination of practical or technical
information needed by specialists in a particular
industry
- Jargon
of the industry used and businness related
topics are frequently discussed
- Not
much academic discussion and analysis
- Practical
instruction often given
- Usually
do not adhere to scholarly conventions (e.g. footnotes, endnotes, bibliographies)
Use
For:
- Current
Trends
- Latest
Developments
- Implementation
Issues
WARNING: Trade journals can be very important for fields
like computer science because they tell about
the newest innovations in the field, BUT in addition to describing particular innovations,
the authors are frequently trying to
sell you something. Be aware of the
authors' agenda, it can distort their presentation.
Periodicals
at American University
American University subscribes to about 3500
periodicals.
These
periodicals may be in one of three formats:
- Paper
copy - alphabetically by title of the journal
in the lower level of the library
- Microfilm
or microfiche - at Media
services in the lower level of the library
- Electronic
format - Check the Electronic
Journal Title Finder
The most current copies of the
periodicals are held at the Periodicals
desk in the lower level of the library,
and are always in paper.
If
you have not already identified article citations on your
topic using the ALADIN databases or a print
index, you will want to complete that step before locating
the periodical.
Still
Confused?
Get
research support from the Reference Desk at 202-885-3238, or use
the e-reference
desk.
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