You should be using trade magazine and journal articles to learn about current topics in your subject area.
Whether you are looking for a job or whether you want to go on to University, being able to talk about recent examples of topics, developments, or news in your industry or profession will impress people and improve your understanding of your vocation.
Library Search provides you access to journals and trade magazines. These sources of information are about specific topics, for example education, IT, or cooking. Each journal/trade magazine will contain many different articles collected into an 'issue' of the journal/magazine.
Here is a video recording that explains what journal articles are and why they matter:
To find a journal/magazine, simply follow the steps below:
Step 1: Select advanced search on the Library Search homepage.
Step 2: Enter a topic you are interested in; select 'Journals' from the 'Material Type' drop-down list''; then click on search.
Step 3: A list of journals/magazines will now appear that contain your search term:
Step 4: Select a title to find its location or to see whether you can access it online. In the example below, Ceramic Review is available online, but it may also available in print at the Leek Hub.
Step 5: To read the journal online, just click the full-text link; in this case 'EBSCOhost Art Full Text'.
Step 6: You will then be asked to sign in. Use your 'username@blc.ac.uk' and your 'password'.
Step 7: You will then be taken to the homepage of the journal/trade magazine. Simply select an article you would like to read.
