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How Do I...find journal articles on my topic?

First, decide which database to use. If your professor or a librarian has suggested a particular database, look for it in the alphabetical list of research databases. Or, get ideas by looking at the list of research databases organized by subject. Scroll down the page for descriptions of all the databases. For general topics, you might try Academic OneFile, Academic Search Premier, or Expanded Academic Index.

The first screen you see generally allows a keyword search. You can choose "Advanced Search" to do other kinds of searches. If you are combining keywords, remember to connect them with "and." If you start with a keyword search, many databases offer suggested subject terms to narrow your search. Click on the title of an article that seems relevant. Look at the subject suggestions on the left. Click on the appropriate subject term to add that as a limit on your search.

When you get the results from a search in a database, some articles may be available full-text either as an HTML file (a webpage), or as a PDF (Portable Document Format, an image of each page as it was printed originally).

If neither of those is available for an article of interest, there may be an option to "Search for Article." This looks for the full-text of the article in the other databases we subscribe to and the CSC Library's holdings. After you click on "Search for Article," on the next screen, click on “Article” if it's available. Otherwise, click on "Journal" if that's available. This takes you to the online catalog to check the holdings for that journal. The journal or magazine issue you want may be available in print ("Periodical Collection") or on microfilm ("Microfilm Collection") or microfiche ("Microfiche Collection"). Print periodicals are either with the current periodicals or the back periodicals, in alphabetical order. Ask for help locating the microfilm or microfiche.

If you still only have a citation to the article of interest (or a citation and abstract) and not the entire article:

Open another window and click on Journal Holdings List (a link from the Library's homepage) and type in the title of the periodical where the article was published. Pay attention to the date of the article you'd like to find when you check the information in the "Journal Holdings List." Your article might be available in full-text through another database or in "Castleton Print Holdings." If you click on "Castleton Print Holdings," you will find out where to locate the journal in the CSC Library. The journal or magazine issue you want may be available in print ("Periodical Collection") or on microfilm ("Microfilm Collection") or microfiche ("Microfiche Collection"). Print periodicals are either with the current periodicals or the back periodicals, in alphabetical order. Ask for help locating the microfilm or microfiche.

If the article is not available full-text through another database or in CSC's holdings, you can click on Request an Article (a link from the Library’s homepage) and copy and paste the citation to request the article through interlibrary loan. Follow the instructions on that page. You will receive an email when the article is available.

Of course, at any point you can ask for help from a librarian. Visit the reference desk or call 468-1257 during the hours it is staffed. If you have a question, you can also ask it online.