Library Class and Subject Guides: !LibGuides toolbox: articles

Find Articles for Most [REPLACE BRACKETS WITH YOUR SUBJECT] Topics

These search tools, also known as databases, will help you find peer-reviewed journal articles, an essential resource for assignments. Visit our Articles guide for detailed instructions.

Finding Journal Articles at MSU Guide

See our Journal Articles guide to learn more about finding articles for your research.

Scholarly Journal Articles Compared to Magazines

Use the chart below to help you distinguish between scholarly journal articles and popular magazines.

	SCHOLARLY JOURNALS	MAGAZINES
NOTES	Includes notes and/or bibliography	Few references or no bibliography
AUDIENCE	Written for experts, shows research	Written for average reader
PAGE LENGTH	Usually more than 5 pages	Often less than 5 pages
ADS	Few or none; if any, advertising books and other "scholarly" items	Many, often in color
LOOK	Mostly text and charts	Glossy, many pictures often in color
LOCATION	Usually only available through a library (often via a library's website)	Title can be found at newsstand or through a bookstore
EXAMPLE TITLES	New England Journal of Medicine, Journal of Modern History	Newsweek, Maxim, Time, Good Housekeeping

What is a Peer-Reviewed Journal?

What is a “peer-reviewed” journal?

Submissions are usually reviewed by professionals, such as professors, research scientists, or other scholars
The scholarly professionals or “peers” have qualifications and interests similar to the authors
Acceptance for publication is usually selective
An editorial board may manage the journal, its contents, and the review process
The journal is often searchable in prominent indexes within the discipline

Common elements of a scholarly or “peer-reviewed” journal article

Abstract – What is this article about? The abstract is a concise summary.

Introduction – What is the key problem, issue, or question?

Method – How will the author investigate the problem? With a laboratory test? Or a survey? Or another type of study?

Results – Research findings, including observations, statistics, graphs, etc.

Discussion / Conclusion – What did the author learn? What did the study prove? What questions are still unanswered?

References – What other scholarly articles did the author consult when conducting this research and writing this article?

Requesting Articles We Don't Own Through Interlibrary Loan

You can search MavScholar to find and request articles from other libraries. See our Get Articles from Other Libraries guide for detailed instructions.

Finding Articles & More Using Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a great tool to find articles, but it includes fee-based websites. Through Library Services you have three options to access the full article content and bypass paywalls.

Click our Google Scholar link, which is also found on our Databases A-Z page. This link will verify your access through your StarID. You will need to return to this link whenever you open a new browser.
Change your Library Links setting in Google Scholar. Your browser will remember these settings until you clear your cache.

With options 1 and 2, your Google Scholar results will include links such as ViewIt@MNSU and, after clicking the double arrow icon, GetIt@MNSU. These links will connect you to our library to access the item.

Install the Libkey Nomad browser extension. When you click on titles in the Google search results, LibKey adds access links into the publisher's page. LibKey will add these links to webpages until you uninstall the extension from your browser.

Types of Sources Table

Types of Sources

	Scholarly Publications	Substantive/Trade Publications	Popular Publications	Sensationalist Publications
Audience	Academics, professors, students.	Educated audiences, practitioners.	General public.	Gullible audiences.
Author	Scholars, experts, and specialists; credentials are listed.	Credentialed journalists; professionals and industry experts; credentials are usually listed.	Professional writers: journalists, staff, freelance writers; not necessarily experts in the field; authors and/or credentials not always listed.	Anyone.
Publisher	Academic presses and professional organizations.	Nationally and internationally recognized organizations.	Commercial businesses.	Varies. Ranges from individuals to politically-minded groups to hate groups.
Purpose	Report on scholarship and research.	Share news and trends with industry professionals.	Information and/or entertainment.	Cater to superstitions; elicit emotions and strong feelings for or against a particular topic.
Tone	Factual, technical, and scholarly language.	Formal, technical language. Often uses industry jargon.	Relatively simple language.	Sensational terms. Propaganda. Often uses inflammatory or derogatory language.
Appearance	Usually plain. May have tables, graphs, charts, and formulas. If photographs are present, they are directly associated with the topic.	Tables, charts, graphs, and images related to the article. More graphic design elements than scholarly publications.	Eye-catching and colorful.	Eye-catching and colorful; sometimes newspaper-like. Often only available online.
Advertisements	Limited to advertisements for books and journals.	Most often limited to advertisements for items directly related to the publication or trade; some paid advertisements.	Paid advertisements.	Paid advertisements, often making their own sensationalist claims. Clickbait.
Review Process	Reviewed by scholars. All data and interpretations of data are checked.	Reviewed by professional editors employed by the publication. Facts are checked.	Reviewed by professional editors employed by the publication. Facts might be checked.	No apparent or consistent review process.
Sources	Always contains a bibliography, works cited, or references.	Often contains in-text citations. May contain references list.	Rarely identifies sources.	Rarely identifies sources. If sources are listed, they may not actually be reliable sources of information.
Examples	Academy of Management Review; Journal of Popular Culture; ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering	The Atlantic Monthly; Economist; AdWeek; Government reports and data-sets.	Time; Women's Health; Pride; Life Magazine	Federalist Tribune; Occupy Democrats; National Enquirer

Types of Sources Accordion

Check out the information below to better understand different types of sources.

Scholarly Publications

Audience: Academics, professors, students
Author: Scholars, experts, and specialists; credentials are listed
Publisher: Academic presses and professional organizations.
Purpose: Report on scholarship and research
Tone: Factual, technical, and scholarly language.
Appearance: Usually plain. May have tables, graphs, charts, and formulas. If photographs are present, they are directly associated with the topic.
Advertisements: Limited to advertisements for books and journals.
Review Process: Reviewed by scholars. All data and interpretations of data are checked.
Sources: Always contains a bibliography.
Examples: Academy of Management Review; Journal of Popular Culture; ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering

Substantive/Trade Publications

Audience: Educated audiences, practitioners.
Author: Credentialed journalists; professionals and industry experts; credentials are usually listed.
Publisher: Nationally and internationally recognized organizations.
Purpose: Share news and trends with industry professionals.
Tone: Formal, technical language. Often uses industry jargon.
Appearance: Tables, charts, graphs, and images related to the article. More graphic design elements than scholarly publications.
Advertisements: Most often limited to advertisements for items directly related to the publication or trade; some paid advertisements.
Review Process: Reviewed by professional editors employed by the publication. Facts are checked.
Sources: Often contains in-text citations. May contain reference lists.
Examples: The Atlantic Monthly; Economist; AdWeek; Government reports and data sets.

Popular Publications

Audience: General public.
Author: Professional writers: journalists, staff, freelance writers; not necessarily experts in the field; authors and/or credentials not always listed.
Publisher: Commercial businesses.
Purpose: Information and/or entertainment.
Tone: Relatively simple language.
Appearance: Eye-catching and colorful.
Advertisements: Paid advertisements.
Review Process: Reviewed by professional editors employed by the publication. Facts might be checked.
Sources: Rarely identifies sources.
Examples: Time; Women's Health; Pride; Life Magazine

Sensationalist Publications

Audience: Gullible audiences.
Author: Anyone.
Publisher: Varies. Ranges from individuals to politically-minded groups to hate groups.
Purpose: Cater to superstitions; elicit emotions and strong feelings for or against a particular topic.
Tone: Sensational terms. Propaganda. Often uses inflammatory or derogatory language.
Appearance: Eye-catching and colorful; sometimes newspaper-like. Often only available online.
Advertisements: Paid advertisements, often making their own sensationalist claims. Clickbait.
Review Process: No apparent or consistent review process.
Sources: Rarely identifies sources. If sources are listed, they may not actually be reliable sources of information.
Examples: Occupy Democrats; Federalist Tribune; National Enquirer.

Comparison Table

	Scholarly Publications	Substantive/Trade Publications	Popular Publications	Sensationalist Publications
Audience	Academics, professors, students.	Educated audiences, practitioners.	General public.	Gullible audiences.
Author	Scholars, experts, and specialists; credentials are listed.	Credentialed journalists; professionals and industry experts; credentials are usually listed.	Professional writers: journalists, staff, freelance writers; not necessarily experts in the field; authors and/or credentials not always listed.	Anyone.
Publisher	Academic presses and professional organizations.	Nationally and internationally recognized organizations.	Commercial businesses.	Varies. Ranges from individuals to politically-minded groups to hate groups.
Purpose	Report on scholarship and research.	Share news and trends with industry professionals.	Information and/or entertainment.	Cater to superstitions; elicit emotions and strong feelings for or against a particular topic.
Tone	Factual, technical, and scholarly language.	Formal, technical language. Often uses industry jargon.	Relatively simple language.	Sensational terms. Propaganda. Often uses inflammatory or derogatory language.
Appearance	Usually plain. May have tables, graphs, charts, and formulas. If photographs are present, they are directly associated with the topic.	Tables, charts, graphs, and images related to the article. More graphic design elements than scholarly publications.	Eye-catching and colorful.	Eye-catching and colorful; sometimes newspaper-like. Often only available online.
Advertisements	Limited to advertisements for books and journals.	Most often limited to advertisements for items directly related to the publication or trade; some paid advertisements.	Paid advertisements.	Paid advertisements, often making their own sensationalist claims. Clickbait.
Review Process	Reviewed by scholars. All data and interpretations of data are checked.	Reviewed by professional editors employed by the publication. Facts are checked.	Reviewed by professional editors employed by the publication. Facts might be checked.	No apparent or consistent review process.
Sources	Always contains a bibliography, works cited, or references.	Often contains in-text citations. May contain references list.	Rarely identifies sources.	Rarely identifies sources. If sources are listed, they may not actually be reliable sources of information.
Examples	Academy of Management Review; Journal of Popular Culture; ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering	The Atlantic Monthly: Economist; AdWeek; Government reports and data sets.	Time; Women's Health; Pride; Life Magazine	Federalist Tribune; Occupy Democrats; National Enquirer

Journals @ MSU

List of journals available (both print and electronic) from Memorial Library. This link is most useful when you have a citation for a journal and would like to see if we own it.

MSU Journals List

Find a Journal, Magazine, or Newspaper

The following search box lists journals, magazines and newspapers available from Library Services. This link is most useful when you have a citation and know the title of the publication.

!LibGuides toolbox: articles