JSTOR
General Information:
-Electronic Database containing over 3,500 titles (855 of which we have access to here at UL).
-Has a multi-disciplinary focus (mostly humanities) and should not be used as a comprehensive source.
-Exceptionally helpful in initial stages of research (easy to go from broad to narrow).
Other fields you may want to think about broadening to (philosophy, linguistics, library science, folklore, film studies, feminist and women’s studies…etc.).
Articles can be viewed:
Either in PDF format or Page Scan.
-Page Scan is the equivalent of the hard copy of the journal article being scanned into the database.
-PDF (Best Way) allows manipulations that Page Scan does not allow. First, it’s easier to print. Second, most of JSTOR’s PDFs can be saved to your own personal computer which will allow you to peruse article at your leisure. Third, the majority of JSTORs PDFs do allow the “find” search (ctrl f), which allows you to search for key terms.
*Note: Page Thumbnails is virtually useless, unless you are attempting to access a specific page of said article and know what page you are looking for.
The Summary Tab
Clicking on the “Summary” tab provides one with a variety of essential tools.
-Abstract (if available). This can be immensely helpful when attempting to focus topic or to learn whether article may be relevant or not for chosen topic.
-Bibliographic information (provides all necessary info for MLA citation). Oftentimes, offers a link to the direct magazine (which may also be of interest).
-Author Information (self-explanatory).
-Notes and References (This can be useful if you have a PDF open in one window and summary Notes and References open in another window as you will not have to flip back and forth in said article).
-Items Citing this Item (is a nice perk because it allows you to see if there are any other articles that cite the one you are reading, it also provides a direct link to those articles. NOTE: This is not always available).
The Moving Wall
The Moving Wall is what JSTOR calls the lapse time between when a journal is available in hardcopy (print) and when they can make it available via digital electronic copy. The lapse time (on average) is either 3 or 5 years (however each journal is different and the lapse times range from 0 to 10 years).
HOW TO FIND OUT WHAT YOUR JOURNAL’S LAPSE TIME IS
-JSOTR offers link at the top of selected article’s page (next to the icon of the magazine) called “Publication Info” if you click on this link it will provide you with the information for that particular journal’s lapse time.
If you are interested in a particular Journal
You can browse particular Journals by discipline or collection. Additionally UL has a subscription to 23 individual journal titles (not collections) and those can be viewed by following the below path:
JSTOR Homepage – About – Content & Collections – See a list of collections available at my institution.
Help
JSTOR offers a variety of user-friendly help tools and they can be located by going through the Homepage – About –Help & Training
-Here you can find a comprehensive FAQ, Webinars, Video Tutorials, and a Contact Us Link.
Things Worth Mentioning
While JSTOR has over 3,500 titles we only have access to 855. This being said JSTOR does allow the purchase of articles. If you decide you need one of these articles JSTOR uses PayPal and should prompt you through the process of purchase.
MyJSTOR
As of a platform update in December 2010, JSTOR now offers ways for individuals to create a MyJSTOR account, which allows researchers to track citations, bookmark select articles and journals for quick access, and save searches.
Once a MyJSTOR account has been created, the researcher has access to three new tabs under the Manage Account tab: Citations, Journals, and Searches.
Each of these areas has their own benefits and downfalls.
Citations – This area provides many different ways of sharing the citation, but the most useful aspect is that JSTOR will send to the registered e-mail address an alert whenever that article is cited. While helpful, the likelihood of a new article immediately citing an article (especially a newer article) is slim, and this should be more realistically used for long term projects such as theses, dissertations, or books. Tracking a citation is not required, and doing so on a previously saved item will change the date saved to the date tracking began. This can cause issues if searches on saved citations need to be chronologically sorted.
Journals – This area provides information on specific journals being tracked, and allows quick access to specific journals. However, tracking a journal only alerts the researcher when a new issue is released. Further information must be accessed by viewing the specific journal summary page, many of which provide website information, editor information, and submission guidelines.
Searches – This area provides some of the most problematic results. While returning to a conducted search due to a lost session is useful, searches cannot be modified post-save, and therefore cannot change scope. Also, searches performed prior to log-in are not saved in the ‘recent searches’ field. The worst problem occurs when a highly specified search is performed: they can’t be saved.
The profile page is useful when changing universities, and modifying e-mail addresses/preferences. It is one way in which JSTOR conducts its data mapping, an area that offers its own burgeoning scholarship. It is also important to note that MyJSTOR operates independent of library subscriptions, despite asking for university information; a profile is not beholden to that university’s limits. A citation or search saved on a profile can be quickly accessed at another institution that may have wider subscription guidelines.
Using JSTOR to Search Outside JSTOR
JSTOR provides useful tools to easily find related articles through JSTOR and also Google Scholar.
A useful link on the right hand side of articles is the ‘References’ tab. This will automatically bring up the Summary tab, where a full works cited is located. If the work citing is available through JSTOR, a link to that specific article and journal will be provided, along with a stable URL. If external access is available, a link to that external website will be provided.
JSTOR also provides useful links through the Google Scholar engine. Clicking on these links run a search through that engine, which will then also provide information regarding its availability at a library or online. Author searches performed this was should be conducted carefully, as common names can provide different authors.
Movement in Social Media and Mobility
JSTOR is at the forefront in the transference of the print age to the digital age, and it follows that they would also get involved in the social media aspects of the digital age, and the proliferation of e-readers and smartphones.
JSTOR has a Facebook page which is moderated by ‘JSTORians.’ Questions are routinely fielded by ‘fans’ and responses from moderators are answered quickly (comparable, if not quicker than utilizing the Help Page). Moderators also post links to articles concerning JSTOR or the work the organization performs. There are also two Twitter feeds: one that posts information found on the Help Page and also provides user support, while the other relies on more general feedback from users to improve JSTOR.
Because most JSTOR articles can be saved on a computer as a Permanent Document Format (PDF) file, this allows the article readable on most e-readers such as Kindle, Nook, etc. Saving the article to the desktop, and simply clicking and dragging the document allow for simple transference. JSTOR has also developed a mobile website; however it pales in comparison in every aspect to its forefather, and using the mobile website is not recommended.