Last updated: 31st Mar 2008
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Print journals, periodicals, newspapers and magazines are housed on level two of the Thompson library and on the ground floor of Nelson Library.
In the Thompson Library the most recent journals are on Level 2; older issues can be found in the off prints collection on Level 1. Print abstracts and indexes can be found on level two in the Thompson Library.
Journals are shelved in alphabetical order, not classified order.
You will find all the titles of our print journals listed on the library catalogue.
Electronic versions of journals and articles can be found by searching the Library's eJournal Catalogue. The results will point to a eJournal service or database where you can acess the 'full text' item.
Occassionally, you may need a journal which we don't have or find details of articles which are not available as full text versions in our databases.
In this situation, we can often get the item you need from an external Library through our Document Delivery Service.
PLEASE NOTE: There is a non-refundable charge for each request you make.
For more information visit: Requesting items from external libraries - Document Delivery Service
We may not have access to all years of each title. Some periodicals may not have regular current subscriptions and we may have may take a run of a periodical for a certain period eg 1996-2000
On the Staffordshire University eJournal system, clicking on the Information button to a title will tell you the date and span of issues available to view in full text.
On the library catalogue...
There are a number of ways to find journal, periodical or magazine articles published on a particular topic.
When you have the citation to a specific article check the IPAC to see if we take the title and what our holdings are. You will also be able to see if we have electronic access. We may either take a run of the title that you want or an offprint has been placed in the Short Loan collection of the Library.
When searching the IPAC make sure that you use a TITLE search and don't use the abbreviated titles that are often used in periodical indexes; enter the first few words of the title, omitting "a," "an" or "the" at the beginning of the title.
Obtaining the citation details to an article will help you find the exact article you are looking for. A citation usually means:
You do not necessarily need all the details to find an article especially when searching using databases and e-journals but it helps when finding articles in printed journals to have at least the journal title, year (or volume/issue) and pages.
It's also good working practice to record all of your information sources as you will need them to create references and bibliographies at the end of your assignment so anyone reading your work can see where you obtained your information which also helps avoid plagiarism.
Visit: How to cite references
Abstracts and Indexes, also known as, Bibliographic Tools, can help you find articles in journals. They are available in paper and electronic formats (databases).
Use abstracts and indexes to find articles from journals when you do not have a specific citation. They are especially useful when you are building up a bibliography on a subject of your choice and you do not have any recommended reading. Please note however that these indexes only provide references so that you can find the full text of the article from a particular source.
Print versions of abstracts and indexes can be found on Level Two in the Thompson Library; they can also be found on the web or on CD ROM.
You should also note that none of the indexes relate to our stock. The Library purchases them and therefore you need to check our catalogue to see if the Library holds the journal you require. If the Library does not take a particular journal, you can apply for it through our Document Delivery Service.
Most indexes are now available in electronic format and most will be password protected usually through an administrative system called ATHENS.
We are required under the licences to these databases to ensure that they are only used by Staffordshire University registered students.
For a full list of databases go to the Library homepage, choose Online Library and then online databases.
Some back copies of Newspapers, Journals and other materials, are available only in microfilm or microfiche format. The Library Catalogue will indicate if an item is on microfiche or on microfilm.
Visit: Microfilms and Microfiche
Increasingly the Library holds full text articles that you can read from your PC's desktop. Many of these articles are restricted to periodicals that we subscribe to in printed format, but not always. For instance you can view the full text of leading national and international newspapers by using Lexis Nexis. To use this service you will need an ATHENS password. Visit the Online library from the Library homepage and choose E-Journals. Use the database search and the A to Z facility to find Lexis Nexis.
To search by subject across a range of journals in your area use SwetsWise. Go to Online Library from the Library homepage and then choose E- journals. Use the database search and the A to Z facility to find Swetswise.
In addition to these databases you can search for individual journal titles using the Ejournal search facility.
As you can see these services cover a wide range of subjects. As a starting point try SwetsWise first. If you have no success in finding articles for your subject area, then spend some time browsing the list of services available or ask for help from your subject librarian.
Please remember that these services point you to articles that the Library pays for. You may also find electronic full text articles freely available on the internet. Try a service like BUBL or use one of the subject gateways.
eJournals are available on and off campus
Some useful eJournals/databases are:
When searching electronic databases or abstracts and indexes, thinking up keywords is very important.
It may seem tiresome to begin with, but it will ensure that you achieve the best results. For more information:
Visit: Searching for information - tips and advice
If need advice on finding material, using reference sources or help with using or accessing any of the resources, please contact your subject support librarian. We are here to help you!
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