Journals and journal articles can be an excellent source for current, scholarly information. They are published on an ongoing basis so you can find the latest information available.

UNSW Library subscribes to scholarly, or academic journals, which contain articles relevant to university studies. The Library also subscribes to relevant trade or professional journals, popular magazines and newspapers.

Journals available in the Library

Print journals found on the shelves are available for use (by staff, students, Library members and visitors) while in the Library. Some print journals are held in Library Storage and Paddington Storage.

• Staff and students can request journals in storage via the journal record in the Library collection.
• Staff and postgraduate students can borrow print journals for 7 days.
• Students can borrow journals located in storage and at the Paddington Library High Use collection room for same day loan.

Peer-reviewed journals

Peer-reviewed journals are a type of scholarly journal. Articles published in these journals have been assessed by the author's peers, an editorial board of subject specialists in a particular discipline. They review and accept or reject articles that have been submitted for publication based on the validity and scholarship of the article.

Peer-reviewed articles:

• present more highly regarded and authoritative information
• include bibliographies that provide further reading of a similar quality and standard
• focus on original academic research
• are also called refereed articles.

Identifying peer-reviewed journals and journal articles

• Journals usually indicate that they are peer-reviewed in the information at the front or back of each journal issue or on the journal website.
• Some databases allow you to limit a search to peer-reviewed articles only.
• Library collection allows you to refine your search results to Peer-reviewed Journals under Refine my results > Availability on the left-hand side. Each record for a peer-reviewed journal article includes a peer-reviewed icon.
• Ulrichsweb global serials directory identifies whether or not a journal is peer-reviewed. Access it via the Database search or Databases link in the search box or Library collection.

Finding journals

Find a known journal

Search Library collection for the journal title or ISSN. Select Journals under the search bar to search for journals only.

You can narrow your results further by selecting All instead of Journals, and then use Refine my results on the left of the page. 

Find a known journal article

Search Library collection for the title of the article.

If the article does not appear in your search results, try searching for the journal title or ISSN:

• Clear your article search terms and type your journal search terms
• Select Journals under the search bar to search for journals only.

Note: You can narrow your results further by selecting All instead of Journals, and then use Refine my results on the left of the page.

Some print journals are held in Library Storage and can be requested via the journal record in the Library collection.

Find current information on a topic

The full text of many journal articles can be accessed online via the Library’s databases or Google Scholar.

Find a relevant database for your topic via Database search (also accessible via the Library home page Databases link) and search by keyword, or select from the list of Databases by category. UNSW Library Subject guides suggest key databases and other resources in your subject area.

Your database search will display a list of records. You can connect to the full text by clicking on PDF or full text links if available.

If a full text or PDF link is not available:

• select the Find It button to connect to full text via other databases
• install the LibKey Nomad browser extension
• try searching for the article in the Library collection, making sure to tick the Expand results beyond UNSW Library button under Refine my results. If this is unsuccessful, try searching for the journal title.

To learn about plugins which can help your research see search tools and plugins.

Find more information

For more information on journal articles see Discover > Journal articles in ELISE | Informing your studies tutorial.

For more information on peer-reviewed journal articles see Discover > Peer-reviewed literature in ELISE | Informing your studies tutorial.

For more information on searching databases see Discover > Databases in ELISE | Informing your studies tutorial.