Complementary Medicine: Journals

What are journals?

Journals are publications that contain the latest academic research and writing. Journals are also known as "serials" or "periodicals" because a they are published on a regular basis throughout the year. There are hundreds of journal titles covering all the different areas of research. An example of a journal is the New Scientist. Every issue of a journal contains a number of articles that are written by experts in the subject area. 

Why should I use journal articles in my assignments?

Some key reasons are:

• They are a great source of current research information.
• They provide detailed coverage of specialist subjects.
• Most journal articles are peer-reviewed. This means they are assessed before publication by subject experts to ensure the validity, significance and originality of the work.
• They can often be accessed online, using a computer or a mobile device.

Where can I search for journal articles?

A good place to start is Articles and More on Library Search. There are also specialist databases for your subject area.