If you come across a relevant article, you should see who has used it in subsequent research. This is known as reverse citation searching, and it's incredibly easy. Following the steps below not only will lead you to additional sources, it is a way to measure the impact of an article -- with some exceptions, the more times an article is cited, the more important it is.
Be aware:
Articles are shorter written works that are contained or published within a larger work such as a newspaper, magazine, or journal.
In general, articles are best used when you are looking for current, reliable information.
| Articles May be Useful When... | Articles May NOT be Useful When... |
|---|---|
|
Your topic is very recent |
You need background or overview information |
|
Your topic is very narrow in scope |
Your topic covers a long time span |
(Table content from WCSU Libraries "Research Basics" guide, licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike (CC BY-SA) 4.0 International License)
| Article Type | Definition | Uses |
|---|---|---|
| Academic/Scholarly Articles |
Written by experts in the field for an audience of their colleagues and are usually published in academic journals. You might be reading a scholarly article if...
|
Most of your academic research sources should consist of scholarly articles. Good for showing expert opinions and backing up your arguments. Good for getting in-depth analysis of a topic. |
| Magazine Articles |
Written for a general audience and published in a magazine. You might be reading a magazine article if...
|
Can be useful for gathering background information on a topic. Can be good for finding current information on a topic. |
| Newspaper Articles |
Written by journalists for a general audience and published in a newspaper. You might be reading a newspaper article if...
|
Good for gathering current, reliable information on a topic. Can often be considered a "primary source". |
The Annual Review of Political Science, in publication since 1998, covers significant developments in the field of Political Science including political theory and philosophy, international relations, political economy, political behavior, American and comparative politics, public administration and policy, and methodology.
Below is a snapshot of some of the articles published in the most recent issue. Visit the website to browse articles from all issues. You can also browse lists of the most cited or downloaded articles.