Journal articles may cover very specific topics or narrow fields of research and are aimed at a special audience of readers. The articles are written by scholars or experts in an academic or professional field and are considered authoritative and credible. 

An editorial board of peers or experts often reviews the articles to decide whether they should be published. These types of articles are considered "refereed" or "peer reviewed".

Journals, like magazines and newspapers, are called "periodicals" because they are published at regular intervals -- for example, monthly or quarterly.

You will find journals at libraries or available by subscription, but rarely at bookstores and other retail stores. Electronic journals are also available in online research databases and on the World Wide Web.

Use a Journal

• when looking for research reports, case studies and other scholarly information
• to find specialized information from technical, trade and professional journals
• to find bibliographies that point to other relevant research

Examples of Journals

• Environment
• JAMA: Journal of the American Medical Association
• Journal of Cultural Diversity
• Literary Review