Google Scholar is a useful way to do a broad search and see what's available on your topic. However, it doesn't directly provide access to the full-text of articles, and you will often hit paywalls.
It's possible to configure Google Scholar so that you can use it to search, but then use the Library's databases to access full text when it's available. You'll see a "Get It @ Bradley" link to the right of your results when this option is available. The handout linked below shows the steps to set this up in Google Scholar.
Article Type |
Description |
Magazine |
Magazine articles are written for the general public. They are designed to sell copies with lots of pictures and advertisements. The authors of magazine articles are often journalists or staff writers. These writers are often generalists. The articles are brief and rarely contain citations. While there may be information about your topic in a magazine, it will not be as in-depth or as technical as you may need for an academic project. However, magazines are great for getting information on current topics as they are published frequently.Examples of magazines include:
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Newspaper |
Information in newspapers is written for the general public. Most newspapers are published daily covering the events of the recent past or upcoming events. Newspapers often focus their news and information for a specific audience in a specific area. The authors of newspaper articles are often journalists or staff writers. The articles are brief and rarely contain citations. These articles discuss news and interest stories. While there may be information about your topic in a newspaper article, it will not be as in-depth or as technical as you may need for an academic project.Examples of newspapers include:
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Trade publication |
Trade publications are journals written for a specific industry or profession. They are designed to keep people in a trade up-to-date on industry developments. The authors are usually staff writers or journalists, often with experience in the field. The articles are brief and rarely contain citations. Trade publications include lots of graphics and advertisements.Examples include:
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Academic Journal |
Academic journal articles are written by scholars for scholars in an academic or professional field. These articles go through a peer-review process to decide whether they should be published. Academic journal articles are very specific or cover a narrow topic. These articles always contain citations and usually have extensive references listed (which are helpful in finding other articles on the topic). Academic journal articles are usually several pages long. Many academic articles follow the format of introduction, methods, results, and conclusion. Academic journals usually do not contain ads. The title often includes the words "journal of" and also includes a specific topic.Examples of academic journals include:
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Other |
There are other publications including editorials, conference proceedings, technical reports, abstracts, etc. that do not fall into these general article categories. Always review the article and determine if the article should be used for your project. If you are not sure, ask a librarian. |