Types of Periodicals: The majority of your information sources will be periodicals. There are three types of periodicals: newspapers, magazines, and scholarly journals. Newspapers are easy to recognize and a good source for research ideas. Magazines and journals present different types of information. It is important to know the difference between the two:

*What are the distinguishing characteristics of magazines and scholarly journals?

*Most professors insist that the majority of your sources be scholarly, peer-reviewed journals.

E-Reserves: Many times the professors will have articles or book chapters that they require you to read. These can be placed on an electronic reserve system through Blackboard where they are available to you from your computer 24/7.  There is a link to Blackboard on the library’s home page (https://pacific.blackboard.com).

Using Databases: Databases are computerized indexes that organize and permit searching of periodicals by author, keyword, etc. The Pacific Library subscribes to more than sixty databases, covering a wide range of topics. Become familiar with the databases most relevant to YOUR topic and to learn the unique aspects of each.

Off-Campus Access: You must supply your PacificNet ID and PacificNet password to access databases from off-campus.  An automated login screen will appear whenever necessary.  Input your information there.