Agriculture and Horticulture

Journals are regular scholarly publications which contain articles on specific subjects.

They are important in academic research for a number of reasons:

• they are the main forum by which research is published,

• they can explore a narrow topic in depth,

• they contain current or recent research findings,

• they are often peer-reviewed so that research findings are checked by other subject experts.

Why use articles and papers?

Articles and papers provide in-depth discussion or analysis of a very specific and narrow subject area. They appear in journals and conference proceedings, regular scholarly publications which are

• the main forum by which research is disseminated
• current or recent research findings
• peer reviewed and checked by subject experts.

Can require an understanding of the subject so they are the next step from a textbook.

What is the difference between an article and a paper?

An article is published in a scholarly journal and is usually the official announcement 

Search for journal articles using the library website: http://library.lincoln.ac.uk  

Search the Library to find articles and papers:

Help with searching for journal articles:

1. Type your keywords (e.g. leadership and management) into the search box
2. Click on Search.

You can refine your results by:

1. Selecting either full text online or peer reviewed
2. Sliding the date bar to your chosen date 
3. Selecting other options such as Academic Journals, subject area, publisher, journal, etc.

You can also add additional keywords (e.g. armed forces) to the search box but, be aware that you will need to re-select your refine your search again from the options to the left of the screen. 

When you have found an article that you are interested in:

1. Click on the title of the article 
2. Read the abstract and, if you would like to read the full article, click on the View online link (if available)  
3. If you are not already logged on you will need to enter your student email address (studentIDnumber@students.lincoln.ac.uk) and Blackboard password.

I have a citation

Search the Library website using the article title or search the electronic journals list using the journal title.

I need articles on a topic

Search the Library website or the relevant research databases using keywords.

For all searches it's helpful to have a standard set of search terms to use and to plan your search before you start. This includes thinking about where you're going to look and the type of material you need. For literature reviews and projects which need a lot of supporting evidence this is essential.

To effectively search on a topic you'll need to carefully consider your topic and create a strategy before searching. A search strategy allows you to conduct controlled and consistent searches:

1. Identify the main keywords which help to describe your topic. Use a subject dictionary, textbook or Wikipedia for help with this.
2. Identify any alternative phrases or synonyms which might be used (e.g. global warming may be used instead of climate change).
3. Identify any acronyms or specialist terminology which may be used. 
4. Identify any alternative spellings (e.g. tyres or tires)
5. Identify any other ways to limit your search (e.g. are you looking for examples in a specific country, by a specific company, within a set date range).

Once you have your keywords you'll need to combine them to narrow down your results. It's not an exact science so you may need to try different combinations to find one that works.

(e.g. vehicle system dynamics AND (tyres OR tires) AND (motorbike OR motorcycle))

The Agriculture and Food Sciences Research is an international, peer-reviewed, open access scientific journal. It publishes original research in many areas of Agriculture and Horticulture.

Advances in Agriculture publishes research on the cultivation of soil and crops, and the rearing of livestock.

A good way of keeping up-to-date with current research is to subscribe to alerts from your favourite journals.

JournalTOCs is a free service which allows you to set up alerts to any new articles published by food journals.