Peirce College Information Literacy Tutorial

(aka Periodical Indexes)

Library databases allow you to search for citations to articles in popular magazines and scholarly journals. Sometimes these databases have the complete or "full text" of articles as well. Databases cover all sorts of subjects. If you start with a general, or multidisciplinary, database you will find articles about new trends, opinions, and information for the non-specialist. You may be familiar with the multidisciplinary database, Academic Search Elite (EbscoHost). Databases are one of the best sources to use when writing a research paper.

Where do you find these databases? Good question. Often,libraries purchase databases and allow their community to use them over the Web. To figure out what databases are available from the Peirce College Library, look at the Library's webpage and click on the "databases" link. You can also ask a librarian. (Don't worry, you aren't bothering them.)

Databases are one of the best places to find information

you can access many of them through the Web
they index information which has gone through an editorial review process
they cover a variety of subjects
they are structured for finding information more precisely
they offer citations to the popular magazines and scholarly journals that have articles on your topic

In Module Two you will learn more about choosing and searching periodical indexes.
Mastering these skills will make research easier.

In 'library-speak', a periodical is anything that is published on a regular basis, such as a magazine. A periodical index points out where articles on certain subjects appear in many different magazines, journals and newspapers.

Back in the day, periodical indexes used to be compiled and printed in volumes. If your library has been around for awhile, you can probably find a couple of these older, dusty indexes. The Readers' Guide to Periodical Literature, those green volumes you may have used to find articles for your term papers, are periodical indexes too.

Now, many indexes are available online from your library. Some may only be available if you visit the library in person, while others are accessible over the Web. Besides the standard citation information, some of these newer indexes contain abstracts or even the full text of the article online.