Other Periodicals and Journals
Adding to this wealth of information are still more publications. The following sections briefly describe some additional types of publications that might be useful for your project. Of course, not all of these are relevant to every kind of topics, so you might use only a few of these sources.
Don't waste your time trying to decipher professional journals that are clearly over your head. You may be able to find a trade magazine for the same profession that contains the same information in more understandable terms. Or perhaps it would be easiest to interview a professional who has read and can explain the journal you want to use.
Professional Journals
If you feel capable of understanding technical information, search out a journal printed for professionals in your topic area. Professional journals include information about new techniques and research discoveries, so they can be an intriguing source. The technical level of the writing is often quite high because the journals are directed to people who are deeply involved in a profession. Therefore, even if you can understand these journals, keep in mind that your reader may not. Be sure to carefully paraphrase any technical information into language that the layperson can understand.
Travel Brochures
Though you may feel ready for a holiday after you are finished with your research paper, that is not the real reason for using travel brochures in your research. The brochures are valuable if you are writing about a particular country or region, and they may even include information about a specific attraction or the customs of another culture. Travel brochures are not likely to contain in-depth material, but they may touch on something you haven't considered before.
Government Brochures
All government agencies, from the national level down to the local level, regularly publish a number of brochures. Each government department usually distributes informational pamphlets that deal with the department's area of responsibility. The purpose of the booklets usually is to educate the public, but they also sometimes include statistical information or information about new regulations and guidelines. You can generally obtain the publications directly from government offices, and they are either free of charge or relatively inexpensive. Thousands of different brochures are published by government agencies, so chances are good that you can find at least one pertaining to your topic. For example, if your paper deals with how parents can help keep their children from experimenting with drugs, you could order Growing Up Drug-Free from the U.S. Department of Education. Your librarian can help get you started, or you can try Google from home. You could also check the Web site of the U.S. Government Printing Office at www.gpo.gov.
