Library Answers

In your assignments, on the library’s website, or in class, you may have heard the terms article, journal, and database. These concepts are important but can be confusing, so it’s important to understand the differences and how they relate to one another.

Article:

An article is a paper written by a scholar that is likely peer-reviewed before publication in a scholarly journal. This is generally the type of information you will find by searching resources on the library’s website. The term article may also be used interchangeably with scholarly article, peer-reviewed article, or academic article. 

Journal:

A journal is a collection of articles on related topics that are published regularly. Journals are similar to magazines but their articles are written by scholars/experts on a topic, and often peer-reviewed prior to publication. Journals can be published in print, but most often the content in journals is accessible online through databases or publisher websites. The term journal may also be used interchangeably with scholarly journal, peer-reviewed journal, or academic journal. Examples: Journal of the American Medical Association, Journal of Neuroscience, Journal of Social Work

Database:

Broadly speaking, a database is a searchable collection of information. In library research, a database is where you go to find articles published in journals, trade publications, government documents, and other sources appropriate for academic study. There are many databases that contain different information on a variety of topics. Libraries pay subscription fees so students can have access to various databases through the library website, as much of this information is not accessible for *free* online. Examples: Academic Search Premier, APA PsycInfo, JSTOR