What are periodicals?
Periodicals are publications such as magazines, scholarly journals, or newspapers which are published at regular intervals or "periods." They are an excellent source of information on many topics which you may need or want to investigate during your academic career or leisure time.
Learning to find information efficiently in periodicals is a valuable skill not only for students but for any library user.

When are periodicals useful?
Since magazines and newspapers are published more frequently than books, they provide more current information and differing viewpoints. They may also include the most recent research results, financial data, or other aspects of many topics which you may want to investigate. Examples of periodicals are Time, Journal of American History, The Wall Street Journal, and The Knoxville News Sentinel.

What is a scholarly journal?
You may be asked to include scholarly journals in your library research.  There are many definitions of a scholarly journal.  Webster’s Third International Dictionary defines “scholarly” as: (1) concerned with academic study, especially research, (2)exhibiting the methods and attitudes of a scholar, and (3) having the manner and appearance of a scholar.  Always consult with your faculty before your assignment is due for confirmation that that your citations do include scholarly journals. The following links will provide additional information and examples of scholarly journals. 

http://www.pstcc.edu/library/infosub/skill_guide_4_scholarly_journal.pdf 

http://lib.trinity.edu/research/resclass/scholjrs.shtml 

http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill20.html

How do I find information in periodicals? Since it would be difficult and very time-consuming to look at the contents of hundreds of periodicals to find information on a specific topic, you need to use an index or periodical database to make your search efficient and effective.