Skip to Main Content

Education: Journal articles

A guide to finding information in education. Includes links to key resources and sources of help.

Outline of a person holding a pile of blue volumes on a trayJournal articles are usually short papers on specific topics. They are published in issues or parts of journals (also called periodicals) which appear regularly. Use articles to find:

  • up-to-date research in your subject
  • reviews of developments in your subject - these review articles include extensive lists of references
Types of articles
  • Primary - these are first hand accounts of research that has been undertaken written by the researchers themselves.
  • Secondary - describe, summarise, or discuss information or details originally presented in another source. These include review articles which summarise the current state of the knowledge on a topic (many databases allow you to restrict search results to this type of article). A more specialised secondary source are systematic reviews which use the existing literature to try to answer a specific question, often including a meta-analysis of the all the studies included in the relevant articles.
Finding journal articles

Search the Summon discovery service using the box below to find full-text journal articles available via the Library. Search using topic topic words or for a specific article title.

Search Summon:


Search databases covering your subject

Alternatively try the subject-related databases listed below. They will give you references to journal articles - they may also give you the full-text of the article, or at least link you to the full-text if it is available online.

Key databases for finding journal articles etc.

To search across ALL 6 EDUCATION DATABASES LISTED HERE at once, follow links to one database, select 'Choose Databases' (blue lettering above search boxes) and tick the 6 education databases.

Citation example in the APA style

Saddler, H. (2014). Researching the influence of teaching assistants on the learning of pupils identified with special educational needs in mainstream primary schools: Exploring social inclusion. Journal of Research In Special Educational Needs, 14(3), 145-152. doi:10.1111/1471-3802.12019

Getting articles not held at Reading

Map of the south of the UKOur Inter-Library Loans service can get articles not held at Reading from other libraries (usually from the British Library).

For more information see our webpages:

Help!

If you are having difficulties accessing articles via Summon or one of our databases see the links below.

If there is a problem with a Library e-resource please fill in a problem report form.

Video: finding a journal article from a reference

This video will show you how to find out if the Library has access to a specific article - online or in print.

If you are unable to view this video on YouTube it is also available on YuJa - view the finding an article from a reference video on YuJa (University username and password required)

Videos: discovering online articles and chapters with Summon

If you are unable to view these videos on YouTube they are also available on YuJa: