LibGuides: RDG 6322 : Research Practicum in Reading: Indices vs Databases

How to Search for Periodical (Journal & Magazine) Articles by Subject

How Do You Find Articles by Subject?

You can find journal and magazine articles by subject in one of two ways:

by using a tool called a Periodical Index
By using a tool called a journal Database.

Paper Periodical Indices

Before there were journal databases, there were paper journal indexes. While they are harder to use than the journal databases, they index the journals and magazines of the past that could still be useful to find articles on your topic.

Education Index
Call Number: Located on 2nd Floor
Publication Date: 1929-1999
An index of selected periodicals (401) in the subjects of administration and supervision; preschool, elementary, secondary, higher and adult education; teacher education, vocational education; counseling and personnel service; teaching methods and curriculum.
Poole's Index to Periodical Literature
Call Number: Located on 2nd floor
Publication Date: 1802-1906
Indexes 216 general periodicals This index was begun by William Frederick Poole and first published in 1853, with later editions and supplements that brought the coverage of periodicals from 1802 to 1906.
Reader’s Guide to Periodical Literature
Call Number: Located on 2nd FLoor
Publication Date: 1982-2007
This is a cummulative author-subject index to about 275 popular interest magazines, including American History, Arizona Highways, Astronomy, Atlantic Monthly, Better Homes and Garden, Christianity Today, D (Dallas), Jet, Maclean's. New Republic, Newsweek, Pyshcology Today, Reader's Digest and Time.

Databases

Databases contain large amounts of data. The data can be in the form of a listing of names, addresses, citations to journals and magazines, or many other kinds of information. Journal databases are the evolution of the print periodical indices into the digital world, where they are much easier to use.

(see the Individual Databases tab for links to individual databases)