Sociology: Journal Articles

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 British Journal of Sociology. 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. You can find links to the top resources on this page.