Research Process: A Step-By-Step Guide: 2c. Articles

Periodicals are publications which are issued at regular intervals, such as journals, magazines, and newspapers.

To help you identify different types of periodicals, refer to the Types of Periodicals guide.

Depending on the database you are using, articles may be displayed in different formats:

• Index: Includes only the article citation (i.e., author, title, date, etc.). Neither a summary, nor the full-text of the article are available.
• Abstract: Includes the citation and a summary of the article's content. It does not include the full-text article.
• Full-text: Includes the citation and full-text article. This may be in HTML, .pdf, or both formats.

Article databases provide you with 24-7 access to magazine, journal and newspaper articles. To help you identify the most appropriate database for your research topic:

• consult the Database by Subject  list, and/or
• see if there is a Subject Guide on your topic. Relevant databases are listed on the Articles tab.