When conducting your research, it is important for you to distinguish between journal articles and magazine articles. Databases are used to find and identify articles from peer-reviewed journals and other types of documents.
Journal articles are usually referred to as "scholarly," while magazine articles are commonly considered "popular."
Consider these points when differentiating between journals and magazines:
| Criteria | Scholarly Journal | Popular Magazine/Blog/Online Publication |
| Audience | Academics and/or Researchers, Professionals | General Public |
| Authors | Experts and/or Specialists | Journalists and/or Freelance Writers |
| Editorial Review/Peer Review | Journal Editorial Board and peer reviewers | Professional Editors |
| Reference/Works Cited | Yes | Not always required or provided |
A multidisciplinary, full-text database that includes scholarly journal articles on all subjects, as well as magazines, books, book chapters, reports, conference proceedings, and more.
Coverage: 1887 to present; most full text is 1975 to present.
Over a thousand full-text scholarly journals and books covering all subjects in the humanities, sciences and social sciences. History, economics, art, literature, and mathematics are particularly strong. All journal titles are archived back to the first issue, many dating from the early 1800s. JSTOR now also hosts the complete ArtSTOR collection.
A detailed index to journal articles, books, book chapters and dissertations published on subjects in modern languages, literatures, folklore, and linguistics.
Index to scholarly publications in sociology, covering topics such as criminal justice, marriage and family, social work, substance abuse, and violence.