Research Tutorial: Finding Articles
Picking a Database
UC Library offers more than 90 different databases and other online resources. How do you know which one is right for your research?
- Use UC Library's Online Resources tool:
- Browse online resources by subject
- Search by title keyword
- Keyword Title Search Tip: use a term associated with the broad subject area, such as, Psychology, History or Nursing
Searching a Database
Once you've selected a database or other online resource, keyword searches are a good place to start, but don't forget use the specialized tools available to help you refine and limit your searches:
Limiting Searches
Scholarly Publications Only
- Displays articles published in scholarly or academic sources
- Removes articles published in popular or non-academic sources
- Useful if your assignment indicates that citation or sources must be from scholarly or academic publications
Dates
- Finds articles published before or after a specified period
- Useful if your assignment is to find articles older or newer than 5 years
Getting the Article
Full text in a Database
- Many of the Library's Online Resources include full text articles
- If full text is available, a link to the article will appear under or next to the citation
Full text Online
Just because an article isn't available full text in one Online Resource doesn't mean the Library doesn't have access to full text in another resource
- Use UC Library's E-Journal Portal to find e-journals with online full text
- Tip: you're searching the e-journal portal for journal title, not performing a keyword search for full text articles!
- If UC Library subscribes to the e-journal, you'll find links to the full text
- If the Library does not subscribe to the e-journal or the e-journal coverage is wrong, see if the Library subscribes to the journal in print
Print Journals
- UC Library subscribes to over 1200 journals in print
- Search the Library Catalog by Periodical Title
InterLibrary Loan (ILL)
- If UC Library doesn't own the journal you need, ILL allows you to request a copy of the article from another library.
- Go to InterLibrary Loan (ILL)
Reproduced and adapted with permission from: Reference Department; Instruction, Research, and Information Services (IRIS); Cornell University Library