How to Keep Track of Your Sources on JSTOR

Finding useful sources is only part of the research process—you also need to keep track of them. In this installment of Research Tips, we’ll explain how to find and record the details that identify your sources on JSTOR and how to save those sources for later use.

Every source, regardless of type, has bibliographic information that identifies it, such as the title, author, or the year it was published or created. Some sources may have more or less information than others, depending on how each source was published or created and what is known about it.

Keeping track of bibliographic information helps you remember where your sources came from. It also allows you to evaluate and verify their credibility, find them again, and properly cite them in your own work.

Finding bibliographic information in JSTOR

On a source’s page, you’ll find the bibliographic information in the top left corner, above the source.

If the source is a scholarly journal article, the article’s title appears in a larger font above the additional bibliographic information. Below the title is the author’s name, followed by the title of the journal, its volume and issue numbers, the month and year the article was published, and the article’s page numbers. Below that is a permalink to the article’s page.

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Sometimes scholarly journals list volume numbers without issue numbers, or they list the year of publication but not the month. Don’t be too concerned if some bibliographic information seems to be missing—it might not have been there to start!

If your source is an image, the image’s title appears in a larger font above the additional bibliographic information. Below the title is a permalink to the source. In the section titled “Item Details,” you’ll find additional bibliographic information such as the image creator or creators, work type, style or period, and the date it was created. Other details may include a description of the image, its physical dimensions, the repository that holds it, and the subjects associated with it.

If your source is a video, the video’s title appears in a larger font above the additional bibliographic information. Below the title are the collection title and a permalink to the source. In the section titled “Item Details,” you’ll find additional bibliographic information such as the date the video was recorded, a description of the video, and the subjects associated with it.

Saving sources

Depending on the citation style you plan to use, you may not need all of the bibliographic information listed, but it’s useful to record it while you’re researching. You may want to keep these details in a notebook or document, especially if you’re taking notes about the source.

But did you know that JSTOR allows you to save sources to your JSTOR account?

On a source’s page, click “Save” to add it to your account. In the drop-down menu, you can choose to save the item to “Workspace” or create a new folder. Creating a new folder with a distinct title is especially useful when you’re working on multiple projects.

If you don’t have an account, you can create a free personal account. Click “Register” on the JSTOR home page and enter your email address. Then follow the verification link sent to your inbox to complete registration.

Understanding bibliographic information and keeping track of it while you research will help you identify and locate your sources and cite them later in your own work.

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