One of the most valuable resources for a student or professional is the wide range of on-line and print trade publications, magazines, journals, and newspapers that are available in many fields and areas of study. Even if you only have a hobbyist’s interest in a certain topic – woodworking or botany, languages or music theory – reading about the research and discoveries made by others in that area will help you expand your own knowledge, perhaps filling in gaps you didn’t realize were there.

From the point of view of learning vocabulary, these publications are excellent references for review of topical words and phrases. When you read through an article, keep notes on vocabulary words you’re not familiar with so that you can look them up later. In some fields of study, the terminology will not change much over time; in others, new discoveries might add new words to the vocabulary every year.

A good source of information in nearly any area of research is the collection of research papers and thesis papers that are collected and stored at universities. Because these generally focus on a narrower area of study, you can often find specific information and vocabulary in these documents, and may be able to find papers that address the precise topic you’re interested in.

For a more general overview of a field or discipline, look for trade journals and newsletters. These will often be created and sponsored by professional organizations, but also by individuals with expertise and interest in the field. Here are a few you might find interesting:

• American Journal of Agricultural Economics
• Food & Drink Weekly
• Tattoo Artist Magazine
• Professional Photographer’s Association Magazine
• International Journal of Industrial Organization

You can use the knowledge you gain and the new words you learned in your own presentations, documentation, other professional correspondence; however, if you are using someone else’s research or study, remember to include citations and references to their work.