Finding Journal Articles
How do I find journal articles?
If you know the author or title of a specific journal article, but you don't know what journal it appeared in, then you will need to look it up using a tool called a journal index. Or, if you want to find articles on a given topic, but do not know where to look, then you also would want to start with a journal index.
Searching for journal articles is a two-step process:
- Use a journal index to find out what articles exist in what journals. Indexes may be in electronic form as an online index (i.e., a database), or an index might only exist in print. Some indexes appear in both print and electronic forms.
- See where copies of the journal exist. The journal might be at GTU Library or the UCB Library, or in some cases the journal is available via an online index.
Please note that a journal article is not always the best place to start your research. They tend to describe cutting-edge research and/or very narrow topics. If you are looking for something short to read, other resources such as an encyclopedia article may be more helpful.
Using Journal Indexes
A journal index is a tool that allows you to search for journal articles by topic, author, or title. Journal indexes may be available in either in print, on CD-ROM, or via the Internet. Sometimes they appear in more than one format. (GRACE is NOT a journal index; GRACE is a catalog of the library's holdings.)
A journal index will give you the citation for an article. The citation will tell you what journal and what issue of that journal the article appears.
A citation may look like this:
Junda, Mary Ellen, and Morosan, Vladimir. "Working with Children's
Choirs." Sacred Art Journal, 14:250-251, June 1993.
In this example, the article entitled, "Working with Children's
Choirs, " is in the journal, Sacred Art Journal, volume 14,
issued in June of 1993, on pages 250-251.
Go to Is this journal in the GTU Library? for the next step in this process, or continue with the next section below for more information about indexes.
Indexes for religion and theology journals
The GTU Library subscribes indexes that appear in print, CD-ROM, and web formats. Links to web-accessible indexes appear on the Research Databases page of the library website. Important indexes include:
- ATLA Religion Database (web and print)
Indexes 600 journals, with coverage from 1949. This is the most comprehensive index and often the best place to start. Also indexes multi-author works and book reviews. Print version appears as Religion Index I, Religion Index II, and Index to Book Reviews in Religion.
- Religious and Theological Abstracts (RTA) (web and print)
Indexes 400 journals, but includes over 40 journals that are not included in the ATLA Religion Database; many of these are Catholic and Jewish periodicals. Also good for topics relating to practical ministry.
- Catholic Periodical and Literature Index (web and print)
Indexes Catholic journals and newspapers. The print version covers 1930-present and the web version covers 1981-present.
Other indexes in the GTU Library Reference Collection:
- Bibliographia Internationalis Spiritualitatis - Z 7751 .P6
- Bibliographia Missionaria - Z 7838 .M6
- Christian Periodical Index - Z 7753 .C5
- Elenchus Bibliographicus - Z 7753 .E4
- Elenchus of Biblica BS 410 .E43
- Guide to Social Science and Religion - Z 7753 .G8
- Histoire et Sciences des Religions - Z 7751 .B85
- Index Islamicus - DS 38 .A12 I5
- Index of Articles on Jewish Studies - DS 101 .R47 and web
- Index to Jewish Periodicals - DS 101 .I53
- Methodist Reviews Index 1818-1985 - BX 8201 M5 O2
- Neuerwerbungen Theologie - Z 7751 .N37
- New Testament Abstracts - BS 410 .N35
- Old Testament Abstracts - BS 410 .O42 and CD-ROM
- Philosopher's Index - Z 7127 .P4 and web
- Revue d'Histoire Ecclesiastique - Z 7777 .R4
- Science of Religion - Z 7751 .S45
- Theology in Context - Z 7757 .D48 T4313
Sources for 19th century and early 20th century articles:
- Methodist Reviews Index 1818-1985 - BX 8201 M5 O2
- Periodical Articles on Religion, 1890-1899 - Z 7753 R55
- Poole's Index to Periodical Literature - AI 3 P7
Also consult:
Early Periodical Indexes: Bibliographies and Indexes of Literature Published in Periodicals before 1900 - Z 6941 B35
Journal Articles in Internet Databases
Increasingly journal articles may also be identified and read
in full via online databases ("full-text journals"). But so far,
the coverage is not extensive in subject matter or in time coverage
for religion/theology journals. While online journals are very useful,
you should not limit your research to these.
Go to the library's Research
Databases page and select one of these databases:
ATLA Religion Database / ATLAS Database
This database provides full-text articles from approximately 80
journals, extending back to 1949.
EBSCOHost Religion and Philosophy Collection
This database provides full-text articles from approximately 200
journals (more recent years only).
WilsonSelect Plus
1300 full-text journals, covering a broad range of topics. Searching any of the databases in FirstSearch
will also link you to the WilsonSelect Plus.
Ethnic NewsWatch
Full text articles from newspapers and periodicals published by the ethnic and minority press in America, some dating back to 1985.
Is this journal in the GTU Library?
You can't search for journal articles in GRACE, but you CAN search GRACE to see if the GTU Library subscribes to a particular journal.
For example, does the GTU Library have a copy of volume 6 of the journal entitled Reviews in Religion and Theology? Go to GRACE and do a TITLE search for Reviews in Religion and Theology (NOT the article
title). You will see that volume 6 is listed there. Therefore, the GTU Library has a copy of this issue on its shelves. Journals published by scholarly societies or organizations
may also be searched by the name of the society or organization
as AUTHOR.
If the GTU Library does not own the journal, then it is very likely to be at UC Berkeley. To see if a journal is at UC Berkeley, look up the JOURNAL title (NOT the article title) on Pathfinder/GLADIS. If the journal is still not available, either through GTU or UCB, you may request a copy of the article through the GTU Library's ILL service. (ILL is available to GTU students, faculty, and visiting scholars only.)
Where are the print journals kept?
The most recent issues of currently received journals are located
on Level 2. Journals are shelved in alphabetical order by title.
These issues may not be checked out.
Once the Library has accumulated enough issues to bind together
into a volume, the bound volume goes to the shelves on Level 1 with
the rest of the back issues. These volumes are shelved alphabetically
by title in the compact shelving on Level 1. Bound volumes may be
checked out for three days. Microfiche copies are stored in boxes
and are shelved with the bound volumes.
A few periodicals (mostly annuals and irregular serials, as well
as a few specialized titles) have been assigned call numbers and
are shelved in the stacks along with the books. All bound periodicals
at the SFTS Branch Library are arranged by call number. Materials
may be paged and sent from SFTS to the GTU Library, and from the
GTU Library to SFTS; inquire at the Circulation Desk.
Lists of Free Electronic Journals
The following sites link to free journals on the internet or to
information about subscription ejournals. Includes both full-text
journals or parts of issues.
Religion and Theology Journals
Journals in Other Areas
Publication Directory
Publication data on journals (who publishes it, etc.) and links
to their web pages can be found on PubList.
Last updated August 22, 2005
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