Skip to Main Content

SOCI 1301: Introduction to Sociology

Finding scholarly journals, evaluating sources, becoming familiar with library sources for the field.

Professional and scholarly journals

Professional journals are scholarly journals that are published by a professional association or organization.

Individually, most of the following criteria are guidelines. Some publications won't fit exactly. Select the classification that matches more of the criteria.

Check with your instructor if you are not sure of the classification of a particular source.

JournalsMagazines
Physical format and appearance
  • Black and white text, simple fonts
  • Few color photographs
  • Non-glossy paper
  • Varied fonts, colored highlights in text
  • Lots of color photographs
  • Glossy paper
Content
  • Generally long articles
  • Letters to editor may be several pages long
  • Few ads, which are aimed at professionals in the field
  • Articles vary in length
  • Letters to editor generally short
  • Lots of colorful ads, aimed at the general public
Typical authors
  • Scholars or experts in the field
  • Authors are always identified
  • Staff or free-lance writers
  • Authors may not be identified
Sourcing
  • Always identify sources in some way
  • May use footnotes, parenthetical references, reference list, or bibliography
  • Often don't identify sources
  • Sources may be discussed as part of narrative structure
Review process
  • Editor will be expert in the field
  • Articles may be checked by other experts before publication ("peer review")
  • Editor has publication background
  • Articles only reviewed in-house
Audience
  • Aimed at scholars in the field
  • Aimed at general public or hobbyists

Finding Print Journals

You may either:

  1. Search the catalog, or
    1. on the keyword search tab, enter sociology periodicals in the first box, and association in the second box.
    2. scan the results list for a title of interest, and click the link for detailed information on available dates and locations
    3. note that the year on the brief list is the year the publication started, not what we have access to
  2. Browse the current periodical shelves around the word sociology.
    1. misses titles starting with other letters.
    2. check the journal title page for publishing/sponsoring organization.

All of our print journals are on the second floor of the library. Many journals are in multiple locations: current shelves, microfilm, bound shelves, and online.

This list of American Sociological Association journals can be used with the Journal Titles A-Z tool to find specific journals.

Discover Search Explained

Simultaneously searches dozens of our databases, including Web of Science and ebook collection, plus the library catalog. Note:

  • Watch dates on sources carefully - use limiters if needed.
  • Choices to refine search results are to the right of the results list
  • May select Scholarly (Peer reviewed) journals. This is at the publication level - evaluate the item you intend to use.
  • Full text often available by clicking link under "View It" on item record.
  • If not available in print or electronically, use Interlibrary Loan.

Search This Database First

Other Databases with Important Content