Indexes contain such basic information as the author, title and publishing information of an article. Indexes are most often limited to periodical literature, but may also include content analysis of conference papers, technical reports, theses, etc. Abstracts are often included to summarize the content. Indexes are available in both print and electronic format. For an overview of your topic, use an index that gives access to reference books or scholarly journals.
Many electronic indexes have a searchable field relating to document type.
Look at a database's search fields to see if there is a document type for review article or general review. For current events or a popular treatment of your topic, use an index that gives access to magazines or newspaper articles. For example, the InfoTrac database will yield citations to articles about business-related topics. Some subjects are covered by more than one index. Use an electronic or print index to select citations on your topic.