Journal articles can be useful sources of information for almost any subject area. They contain current information or research, and are usually written on specific aspects of a topic.
In the field of Psychology (as well as the other Social Sciences e.g. Sociology, Education, Anthropology, etc.) the most authorative journal articles articles tend to be peer reviewed and/or empirical case studies.
Peer reviewed articles and empirical articles will most often appear professional journals such as the American Journal of Psychology. Prior to publication, these articles are "reviewed" for accuracy and content by a board of editors who are professionals in the field of Psychology. Peer reviewed articals will also cite sources and include a bibliography at the end.
Empirical articles are peer reviewed as well. They often document a case-study conducted by the author. The article will document the research methodology of the study, discuss findings in terms of statistical analysis and make conclusions based on those findings. It will usually include a literature review of other studies that have been conducted on the subject as well as including an extensive bibliography.
GALILEO stands for GeorgiA LIbrary LEarning Online,
an initiative of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia. A World Wide Web-based virtual library, GALILEO provides access to multiple information resources, including secured access to licensed products. Participating institutions may access over 100 databases indexing thousands of periodicals and scholarly journals. Over 2000 journal titles are provided in full-text. Other resources include encyclopedias, business directories, and government publications.
GALILEO is the library that never closes. It can be used to find references and journal articles in almost any field of study.
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Not all journals are created equal, and not all will be appropriate for every research need. These are the most common types of journals you are likely to encounter in your research, presented in order from most to least academic or scholarly: