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Learn to Search Article Databases
Follow the links (A-F) for step-by-step tips:
  1. Choose Article Database
  2. Search Article Database
  3. Check Results List
  4. Copy Citations
  5. Search Tips
  6. Locate a copy of the article
A.  Choose an article database that best suits your needs
  1. Go to the Find Articles page, "Databases by Subject" section.
  2. Choose a subject, or General Interest (all subjects) and "go there."
  3. Look at the list and database Information Button (Example only) to find
    • what subjects and years the databases cover
    • whether they provide full -text access or only citations

    Full-text access is not always available for the information sources you may need.
  4. You may also want to try to determine if the database includes scholarly or popular periodicals. This isn't always stated in the descriptions.
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B. Search the database
  1. Click on the title to access the database.
  2. Databases differ in searching techniques and displaying results.  Checking the help screens for specific tips can result in a much better and more efficient search.
  3. Choose 2-3 search terms or "key words" to describe your topic.
  4. Try several searches using synonyms (e.g. business, company, corporation) or variant forms (e.g. businesses, companies, corporate) of your search terms. Use truncation or wildcard symbols (often * or ?, check the database help screens) to search several forms at once (e.g. corporat*)
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C. Check the list of results
  1. Most databases give you a list of citations or titles.  Click on the title to see more information.
  2. Skim the list, looking at the titles, to find relevant articles.
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D. Copy, print or download citations of relevant articles
  1. Some databases let you mark (select) multiple records for printing, emailing or downloading.    
  2. Copy the complete citation: author, article title, periodical title, volume, issue, date, pages
    • Example citation from Ebsco Masterfile Premier:
      Title: KEEP A DIARY, REAP COGNITIVE REWARDS.
      Subject(s): DIARIES; SHORT-term memory; EMOTIONS & cognition
      Source: Psychology Today, Mar/Apr2002, Vol. 35 Issue 2, p28, 1/4p
      Author(s): Adams, Julie
  3. If you can link to the full text, obtain the whole article by printing, downloading or emailing it.
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E. SEARCH TIP: Use a good article to help you find more articles
  1. Look at the full information for a relevant article you found.
  2. Find subject words used to describe your topic. See subjects in citation example above.
  3. If they differ from your search words, try a "subject search" by clicking on a subject term link.  Subject searches are more focused than keyword searches.  For more information, see our tutorial section on subject searching.
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F. After you have an article citation, locate a copy of the article (if full text was not available with the citation) by: 
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[Return to How do I find an article]
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