LibGuides: History: Magazine Articles

Finding and Using Magazine Articles

Magazine articles can be valuable primary source material because they reflect popular culture, daily life, and events/issues/ideas of the time. Photos and graphics as well as the advertisements found in magazines are also useful as primary sources.

WSU Libraries has in its collections the print or microfilm back runs of a large number of magazines as well as current issues, and databases of full-text articles, historic and current. Find specific magazine titles in the Libraries' catalog. You can also use magazine databases:

Readers' Guide Retrospective, 1890-1982 (EBSCO) This link opens in a new window
Comprehensive indexing of the most popular general-interest periodicals published in the United States, reflecting the history of 20th century America.
Academic Search Complete
Includes a wide range of popular periodical titles, many full text.
Humanities & Social Sciences Index Retrospective: 1907-1984 (EBSCO)
Includes English and foreign language magazines back to 1907.
CQ Researcher Online (CQ Press)
The CQ Researcher is a collection of reports covering political and social issues, with regular reports on topics in health, international affairs, education, the environment, technology and the U.S. economy from 1991 to the present.
Vogue Archive (1892-present)
The Vogue Archive contains the entire run of Vogue magazine (US edition), from the first issue in 1892 to the current month, reproduced in high-resolution color page images. Every page, advertisement, cover and fold-out has been included, with rich indexing enabling you to find images by garment type, designer and brand name.

National Geographic Virtual Library
Full-text access to the magazines from 1888-present plus images, maps, topical sections, books, and videos.