Information Review #2: Scholarly Journal

Purpose

• To successfully locate a scholarly journal in an area of personal interest.
• To examine, in depth, and evaluate a specific journal, noting its organization, use, purpose, level, scope and authority.
• To summarize, in writing, your evaluation.

Instructions

1. Find a scholarly journal in your area of interest.
   

   How to Find?

   • Browse the shelves in Branson or New Library Current Periodicals
   • Look in the call number area of your subject.
   • OR: Search OLE broadly by subject with the --Periodicals subheading.

2. Choose a scholarly journal to which the NMSU Library has a current subscription.

3. Do NOT select an electronic journal.

4. Do NOT review an individual article you found in the journal.

5. Choose a journal rather than a magazine. If you are unable to find a scholarly journal in your area of interest, broaden your area.

6. Examine at least an two years of recent issues. Better yet, look at the last five years.

7. Follow General Guidelines for Writing Information Reviews in writing your review.

8. Because you are reviewing an entire journal--not an article, not a single issue--you should consider the following points.
   • Acceptance practices
     does the journal use the blind referee process?
     does the editor/editorial board decide which articles get published?

     Advertising

     does the journal accept advertising?

     Do they specify type of advertising?

     Indexing

     where is the journal indexed?

     Publication frequency

     Once a month? Quarterly? Bi-monthly?

     Types of articles included

     Scholarly articles?

     Practioner type "How I Did It Good"

     Editorials?

     Regular columns?

     Letters to the editor?

     Book reviews? Video/software/equipment/sound recording reviews?

     Audience

     Who would/does subscribe?

     Who would be interested in this journal?

     Scope

     What topics does the journal cover?

     What about the authors? Practioners? Academics? Researchers? Can you tell?

     Give examples!

     Style and Purpose

     Primarily research articles: Quantitative? Qualitative?

     Writing style: dense? academic? readable? for laypeople? for the initiated only?

   Help with Answering the Above

   • Look through many issues to get a feel for the purpose, focus, scope, audience, writing style.
   • Usually one issue a year has a section on submission guidelines.
     This section is usually at the front or back of the issue.
     It will tell you about its acceptance practices.
     It will note the types of articles the journal is interested in.
     The table of contents should provide you with information on indexing,
     publication frequency and advertising.

   Reference Books to Consult

   REF INFO DESK Z6941.U5
   Ulrich's International Periodical Directory

   REF INFO DESK Z6951.St24p
   Standard Periodical Directory

   NEW REF PN4832.M23
   Magazines for Libraries

   Practical Issues

   • Length
     As with all Information Reviews, aim for 300-500 words.

     Format

     Word processed, single or double spaced.

     Please follow general writing practices.
     Follow standard grammar rules at all times.
     Reinforce and justify your statements and evaluative comments with examples.

   Submission Methods

   You may submit your review via e-mail.
   Just be sure to send it to me at susabeck@lib.nmsu.edu and not the class listserv.

   If you do e-mail me your review, please remember to follow common writing practices such as capitilization, punctuation and paragraph breaks. Show underlining with the underscore or underline character immediately before and after a title.

   EXAMPLE: _This is my title_

   Citation

   Your review MUST begin with a citation to the journal.
   Here is an example of a citation to a journal.

   MLA Style

   Internet Reference Services Quarterly. Binghamton, NY: Haworth, 1996- .
   (Vol. 1 - 3, 1996-1998).

   
   
   

   APA Style

   Internet Reference Services Quarterly. (1996- .) Binghamton, NY: Haworth.
   (1-3, 1996-98)

   If you have questions about your review choice, please feel free to discuss it with me.

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   by Susan E. Beck
   New Mexico State University
   Las Cruces, NM

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   You are welcome to use and copy these materials for educational purposes, but please credit the source as: LSC 311 Information Literacy, New Mexico State University, and cite the individual author of the modules you use.All commercial rights are reserved. Send comments or suggestions to: Susan E. Beck at susabeck@lib.nmsu.edu