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Why are journals useful sources of information?

Learn:about journals and the advantages of using them.

Read the statements below and decide whether they are true or false.

They allow you to find the most recent research.	Correct! Yes, journals are good for finding up-to-date information.	Wrong! Try again!
They are only useful for reading/getting the latest news.	Wrong! Try again!	Well done! That's right. Journals are published for different purposes and audiences. Some are more news based, others are for a professional audience and sharing good practice, others are more academic and just include research articles.
The articles are often on very specific topics.	Correct! Yes, you can find articles in journals that relate very closely to the topic you are researching or the question that you want to find answers to.	Wrong! Try again!
You have to be cautious about the reliability of articles in journals.	Well done! It is a good approach to always question the quality of anything you read and the validity of any findings. Many journals are "peer reviewed" (this means that an expert on the topic has reviewed the articles before it is published in the journal to ensure quality).	Wrong! Try again!
You can often find a journal when you can’t find a book	Correct! Yes. Journals are often available in full text online; if the journal is in print it will be reference only (except for Bower Ashton back copies which can be borrowed); and, journals cover many more specific subjects than books.	Wrong! Try again!

Increasingly the journals that we buy are available as "electronic journals" which means they are accessible online.

If you want to learn more about different types of information, why not try our Types of Information section.