LibGuides: LIS1001: Resource Types: Trade Publications (original) (raw)

While most academic research is better done using articles from scholarly/academic journals, trade publication articles can also be of use in a variety of situations. Following are some of the ways these publications can be helpful.

Recent Developments ‐‐ Trade publications are excellent places to look to keep up with recent developments in an industry, occupation, or profession. A construction magazine, for example, will likely announce new projects that are currently underway in a particular city, state, or country and also announce which companies are involved in the projects. An aviation magazine might announce new developments in supersonic jet transport or provide background information on up‐and‐coming developers who work in aviation or related fields. A music magazine might profile new artists, announce the release of new CDs, and even provide reviews of recent music releases and concerts. A trade publication targeting dieticians might provide an overview of a recently completed study on a new weight loss plan and tell who did the study and where it was published. So, while these publications might not directly provide detailed research findings, they are extremely useful for keeping up with recent developments in their targeted fields.

Career or Job Opportunities ‐‐ Many times, job advertisements will appear in trade publications. Public universities in the state of Florida, for example, routinely advertise open faculty positions in at least a couple of publications that target readers within specific fields. For example, when the library has an opening for a faculty position, one of the places it might advertise is the profession's trade magazine, American Libraries. Many other trade publications routinely run advertisements for job openings of interest to their readers.

Conference Announcements ‐‐ Every professional association will hold yearly and sometimes twice‐yearly conferences where their members will share ideas about the profession. Often times these conferences are announced in the association's trade publication.

Product Advertisements ‐‐ Unlike those found in consumer magazines, advertisements in trade publications tend to be for products and services that are specific to the profession. For example, a police magazine like Police Chief might run advertisements for bullet‐proof vests or newly developed night vision goggles. A nutrition magazine might run ads for natural foods suppliers or for equipment that helps track weight loss. While advertisements might not be of use in the process of research, they can be helpful to practitioners who are looking for alternatives to the products that they are currently using or for newer, better products that can assist them in better serving their clientele.

Editorials and Letters to the Editor ‐‐ Editorials will reflect current issues and concerns within a profession. These could be useful to a researcher looking for "hot" topics that could be further researched in professional journals. Once an editorial appears, almost always the publication's readers will write letters addressing issues raised in the editorial, so a researcher can follow up on the positions taken by the editorial staff and look at the professional community's responses as an even better means for assessing what is important to the profession.