Journals (also known as serials, periodicals and magazines) are published regularly (weekly, monthly, quarterly or annually) and contain the most recent information on a subject.
Every journal is made up of several elements. Each publication year has a volume number and within every volume, there are multiple parts/issues - how many will depend on how frequently it is published. Each part/issue contains a number of individual articles.
Journal references are broken down as follows:
If the Library holds a journal in print format, the complete year's issues may subsequently be bound together within hardback covers. If not, the loose issues will be stored (in issue number order) in a pamphlet box on the Journals shelves.
Online journals are accessed via Library databases (to search for articles) or the Electronic Journals link (to search for specific journal).
Not sure if we have the e-journal you need? Search our Electronic Journals by journal name to find out.
Not sure which are the best journals to use? Below is a selected list of good quality journals you should find valuable during your studies. The list is only a small percentage of the title available in print or online.
You may also want to keep an eye on the Child & Family Law Update which collates and summarises recent publications on all aspects of the social welfare of children and families.
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Databases are the best place to search for journal articles on a specific topic. See the Library Databases tab above for a full listing. It is important to search more than one database in order to be sure you have not missed any relevant information, as each database may cover a range of different journal content. Some sources, such as USearch or Social Science Premium Collection allow you to cross-search multiple databases at the same time. This is a great way to begin your research. However, if you are asked to perform a systematic search, you may need to search all relevant databases separately. It's worth checking before you start. |
Google's Scholar search finds journal articles or other high quality information. It limits results to academic-related sources, such as peer reviewed journals, research based working papers, books and other scholarly resources.
However, unlike Library databases, it has limited search options, restricted search size and prioritises keywords appearing first in your search strategy, so we recommend that it should not be your sole source of information. Use in combination with appropriate Library databases.
Follow the steps shown in this video http://screencast.com/t/GGEmSfm6 to get links to full text sources held at Ulster. .
To export any references to the Refworks database, go to the Scholar settings, choose the Bibliography Manager option and select 'Show links to import citations into' Refworks.
For more information on Google Scholar, including search tips and citation metrics see: http://scholar.google.co.uk/intl/en/scholar/about.html
If you intend to use the 'full' Google, check Settings for advanced search tips to improve the accuracy of your search. Northampton University also has a useful video - Ten Tips for Google Searching.
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If the item you want is not available from Ulster sources, the Library's Document Delivery service can request material from the British Library and elsewhere. |
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You may request books and articles using the Online Request Form Article requests will usually be sent to you electronically for download so you must REGISTER for British Library's On Demand service prior to requesting and read the guidance on Secure Electronic Delivery (SED). Book requests will be supplied as loans. There is no charge for either service, although weekly limits may apply. |
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