Research Tips
Citation Styles
American Psychological Association (APA) Style
Modern Language Association (MLA) Style
Chicago Manual of Style
Where Do I Find Journal Articles?
The easiest way to find articles on your topic is to use an index or database. Most indices and databases are available from the UH Libraries Electronic Resource page. The UH Library also has a special page for TIM called the Travel Industry Management Subject Guide.
An index can be either in print or electronic format. Usually indices contain bibliographic data (information about the article like author's name, title, journal title, issue, and dates). They can also contain an abstract - a short paragraph about the article.
Databases are electronic and have bibilographic data; they usually have an abstract and may have full-text. Indices and databases can cover a lot of general interest topics, a specific area (e.g. business) or a specific field such as transportation.
General databses that you should use for your papers:
Remember: One database may not be enough. This is especially true if you have a unique topic or are doing a paper or project that is longer than 7 pages.
Search tips:
- Before you begin to search, take time to think about your topic and write down a few key words.
- Use a combination of key words and controlled vocabulary (subject headings and descriptors) to get the best results.
- Search the Hospitality & Tourism Index with Business Source Premier and the Academic Source Premier by clicking on the [Choose Database] tab and placing a check mark on all three in EBSCOHost.
How Do I Know If I Have a Scholarly Source?
Periodicals (materials published on a regular schedule) are usually classified as: general (magazines), trade (professional), or journals (scholarly, peer-reviewed, or refereed). However, there are many titles that fall in between these categories.
Sometimes your instructor may require that your research include articles from scholarly journals. Many indexes (especially the online databases) can contain references to scholarly journals, popular magazines, and trade journals.
How can you tell the difference? Unfortunately, there is no clear-cut way to determine where a periodical fits, but here are some guidelines that may help you determine where a title belongs. If, after going through these guidelines, you're still not sure, ask your instructor or librarian.
Brief Guidelines for Identifying Periodicals:
General Interest
- May have a bright, attractive cover, with many glossy pictures
- Design attracts a broad segment of the population
- Usually published by a commercial publisher
- Characterized by short articles written by staff, often articles are unsigned
- Non-technical, popular writing style, easy to understand
- Focuses on current events, popular topics of the day
- Usually published daily, weekly, or monthly
Trade/Professional
- Provides information of use to a particular industry
- Advertisements appeal to those in the field
- Uses a format similar to popular magazines; flashy
Scholarly
- May have a serious, sober appearance; few bright colors
- Words such as "Journal", "Proceedings", "Transactions", or "Quarterly" may appear in the title
- Intended for a more limited, academic, audience
- Articles are written by scholars in the field and is usually signed
- Its main purpose is to report on original research
- Writing style is more complex
- Includes research articles on special topics
- May include graphs, tables, charts
- Articles usualy include bibliographies
- Usually published bi-monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually
Using UH Library Online Databases
You must have an active library account to access restricted online library resources such as the online database. To set up your account, complete the online ID Registration Form. You must also have a UH ID number.