Back to main page

Searching for Journals

A Journals search looks only in the MIT Libraries' holdings of journals (also called periodicals), magazines, and newspapers. A few journals (eg., ones that appear once a year) may be treated as books instead of journals. If your Journals search doesn't find your title, try searching for it in Basic Search.

Are you looking for a specific journal?

Know the title's exact wording?

• On the Journals search screen, go to the Browse an Alphabetical List section, choose Journal Title begins with... .

• Enter the title into the search box. Barton will retrieve journal titles that begin with the words you type.

Unsure of the title's exact wording?

• On the Journals search screen, go to the Keyword Searches section.

• Choose Journal Title Keyword search.

• Enter the title words into the search box. Barton will look for titles containing your terms in any order.

Have only an abbreviation for the title?

• On the Journals search screen, go to the Browse an Alphabetical List section, choose Abbreviated Journal Title begins with... . Barton will look for the abbreviation exactly as you type it.
  Example: Comput. sci. econ. manag. (Computer Science in Economics & Management).

  OR:

• On the Journals search screen, go to the Keyword Searches section, choose Abbreviated Journal Title Keyword. Barton will look for all your terms in any order.
  Example: Econ. sociol. finds two journals with Economics and Sociology in the title.

Tip: It is usually best to search for the full title, because some journals have several different abbreviations. If you have only an abbreviation and your search fails, Ask Us!

Know the organization or society that publishes the journal?

• On the Journals search screen, go to the Browse an Alphabetical List section, choose Organization Name Begins With... . Barton will look for organizations that are listed exactly as you type them.
  Example: Institute for Operations Research and Management Sciences.

  OR:

• On the Journals search screen, go to the Keyword Searches section, choose Organization Name Keyword. Barton will look for organizations containing the words you type in any order.
  Example: Management Sciences.

Tip: If Browse and Keyword searches don't find the organization, Ask Us!

Have an ISSN number for the journal?

• On the Journals search screen, go to the Browse an Alphabetical List section.

• Choose ISSN/ISBN.

• Type in the eight-digit number.

• On the Journals search screen, go to the Keyword Searches section.

• Choose Subject Keyword.

• Type in your subject term(s).

Tip: Take advantage of the Limit search to: feature in Keyword Searches:

• Location finds journals located in a particular library.

• Find electronic journals by changing Format to Electronic.

Tip: Electronic journals are also listed by subject in MIT Libraries' Vera collection.

Electronic format.
If it is available electronically, there will be a direct link to the journal.

• If you are on campus, click the link to access the journal.

• If you are off campus, search Vera for the journal title to see if it available off campus. You will need certificates to access journals off campus. See also: 10 ways to access MIT Libraries e-journals from anywhere.

Print format.
Holding libraries are listed under Location. Click All items to see the range of years owned in each location.

• Journals are shelved alphabetically by title at Dewey, Rotch, and Lewis Music.

• Journals are shelved by journal call number at Barker, Humanities and Science (journal call numbers are shorter than book call numbers).

Tip: If the journal is at the Library Storage Annex, our remote storage facility, fill out a request form to have the item delivered to your closest library.