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Magazine and journal articles take less time to publish than books, so they typically provide recent information on a topic. Because they are shorter than books, they take less time to read. However, articles often focus on a specific aspect of a topic rather than providing an overview or background information. Here are some things to keep in mind when searching for articles.
In some databases, you can search for the type of article you want -- an empirical research article, a review article, a peer-reviewed article, a book review, etc.
Review articles. Sometimes categorized as a literature review in a database, a review article is a survey of articles on a topic with findings summarized. This provides the reader with the current state of research in a field or research area.
Meta-analysis. Similar to a review article, but uses a mathematical method to pool and analyze the findings of the articles.
Empirical research articles. Articles that report findings from an experiment or observation.
Book reviews. These articles typically summarize the plot or thesis of a book and compare it to books on the same topic or in the same genre. A book review can help you determine whether you want to find and read that book or move on to something else.
You can expand your search for articles by using additional databases, a few of which are listed below:
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A digital image library of collections of art, architecture, humanities, and science images with descriptive information. Artstor migrated to the JSTOR site in 2024.
European and American visual arts material published between 1975 and 2007 covering late antiquity to the present.
An archive of scholarly journals. Content spans many disciplines, primarily in the humanities and social sciences. The most recent 3-5 years of journals are generally not available. JSTOR has a number of other collections to which we do not subscribe. Provided through a cooperative agreement with Stetson's College of Law Library.
For your assignments, you will need relevant information on your chosen work of art. The library has several options for you to use.
Consider using encyclopedias and other reference sources when you begin researching a topic. Some encyclopedias will provide more in-depth information than others, but any general encyclopedia is a good source to consult for background information of your chosen subject area. Most encyclopedias provide the following:
This link opens in a new windowA starting point for research and learning that offers unlimited access to hundreds of full text reference books on every subject. Includes encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauri and books of quotations.
Country reports that include local customs, basic economic and social data, politics and history, national flags, national anthems, etc. CultureGrams consists of three editions of country reports updated annually: World Edition, World Kids Edition, and States Edition.
A searchable, full-text database of encyclopedias, almanacs, and specialized reference sources.
Contains over 100 dictionary, language reference, and subject reference works published by Oxford University Press. Also includes the Oxford Companions Series.
Explore tens of thousands of articles, videos, primary sources and journals/periodicals. Browse popular topics, news, biographies, and more! This is a great resource for getting research started or getting more acquainted with a particular topic.
1. Start by identifying the major concepts, themes, works, or authors that you want to research. These are your keywords. Only type your keywords into the search box- don't try to type in an entire thesis statement or research question.
2. Most of the time, you'll either have too many search results to sort through, or too few to choose from. Use the following tips to expand or limit your search results as needed. These tips should work in most library databases. Some databases have additional or different tips you can try. When you're in a database, look for a link labeled "Help" or "Search Help" for information specific to that database.
| When you’ve found one good source, try this: | |
|---|---|
| Subject headings | Does the database list any subject headings to your source? Click on these links to find more. |
| Reference List | Browse your source’s reference list or bibliography to find additional sources on the same topic. |
| Who’s cited this? | Use Google Scholar or Web of Science to find sources that have cited your source since it was published. |
| Author | Has the same author published additional material on the topic. |