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Explore our collection of hundreds of online resources and databases. Use our free online content to help with your research, whether it's finding a single article, tracing a family tree, learning a new language, or anything in between.

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Not sure where to begin? From primary sources to scholarly articles, start your research with resources chosen by our expert librarians.

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Discover the wide range of learning resources the Library has to offer students of all ages, from chemistry and history to English and math.

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Browse popular contemporary and historic publications including The New York Times , People magazine, and Sports Illustrated among others.

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Read e-books, newspapers, and more in languages including Spanish, Chinese, Russian, and French.

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African American Studies

Explore a variety of academic, historic, and cultural resources curated by the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture.

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Performing Arts

Find materials about theatre, film, dance, music, and recorded sound selected by The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts.

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New York City History

Uncover primary and secondary sources about the five boroughs, including neighborhood data, historic photos, newspaper archives, and more.

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Trace ancestry information and family trees through public records, historical documents, and other genealogical archives.

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How to Find Sources | Scholarly Articles, Books, Etc.

Published on June 13, 2022 by Eoghan Ryan . Revised on May 31, 2023.

It’s important to know how to find relevant sources when writing a  research paper , literature review , or systematic review .

The types of sources you need will depend on the stage you are at in the research process , but all sources that you use should be credible , up to date, and relevant to your research topic.

There are three main places to look for sources to use in your research:

Research databases

  • Your institution’s library
  • Other online resources

Table of contents

Library resources, other online sources, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about finding sources.

You can search for scholarly sources online using databases and search engines like Google Scholar . These provide a range of search functions that can help you to find the most relevant sources.

If you are searching for a specific article or book, include the title or the author’s name. Alternatively, if you’re just looking for sources related to your research problem , you can search using keywords. In this case, it’s important to have a clear understanding of the scope of your project and of the most relevant keywords.

Databases can be general (interdisciplinary) or subject-specific.

  • You can use subject-specific databases to ensure that the results are relevant to your field.
  • When using a general database or search engine, you can still filter results by selecting specific subjects or disciplines.

Example: JSTOR discipline search filter

Filtering by discipline

Check the table below to find a database that’s relevant to your research.

Google Scholar

To get started, you might also try Google Scholar , an academic search engine that can help you find relevant books and articles. Its “Cited by” function lets you see the number of times a source has been cited. This can tell you something about a source’s credibility and importance to the field.

Example: Google Scholar “Cited by” function

Google Scholar cited by function

Boolean operators

Boolean operators can also help to narrow or expand your search.

Boolean operators are words and symbols like AND , OR , and NOT that you can use to include or exclude keywords to refine your results. For example, a search for “Nietzsche NOT nihilism” will provide results that include the word “Nietzsche” but exclude results that contain the word “nihilism.”

Many databases and search engines have an advanced search function that allows you to refine results in a similar way without typing the Boolean operators manually.

Example: Project Muse advanced search

Project Muse advanced search

Scribbr Citation Checker New

The AI-powered Citation Checker helps you avoid common mistakes such as:

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  • Ampersands (&) in narrative citations
  • Missing reference entries

research your article library

You can find helpful print sources in your institution’s library. These include:

  • Journal articles
  • Encyclopedias
  • Newspapers and magazines

Make sure that the sources you consult are appropriate to your research.

You can find these sources using your institution’s library database. This will allow you to explore the library’s catalog and to search relevant keywords. You can refine your results using Boolean operators .

Once you have found a relevant print source in the library:

  • Consider what books are beside it. This can be a great way to find related sources, especially when you’ve found a secondary or tertiary source instead of a primary source .
  • Consult the index and bibliography to find the bibliographic information of other relevant sources.

You can consult popular online sources to learn more about your topic. These include:

  • Crowdsourced encyclopedias like Wikipedia

You can find these sources using search engines. To refine your search, use Boolean operators in combination with relevant keywords.

However, exercise caution when using online sources. Consider what kinds of sources are appropriate for your research and make sure the sites are credible .

Look for sites with trusted domain extensions:

  • URLs that end with .edu are educational resources.
  • URLs that end with .gov are government-related resources.
  • DOIs often indicate that an article is published in a peer-reviewed , scientific article.

Other sites can still be used, but you should evaluate them carefully and consider alternatives.

If you want to know more about ChatGPT, AI tools , citation , and plagiarism , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

  • ChatGPT vs human editor
  • ChatGPT citations
  • Is ChatGPT trustworthy?
  • Using ChatGPT for your studies
  • What is ChatGPT?
  • Chicago style
  • Paraphrasing

 Plagiarism

  • Types of plagiarism
  • Self-plagiarism
  • Avoiding plagiarism
  • Academic integrity
  • Consequences of plagiarism
  • Common knowledge

Prevent plagiarism. Run a free check.

You can find sources online using databases and search engines like Google Scholar . Use Boolean operators or advanced search functions to narrow or expand your search.

For print sources, you can use your institution’s library database. This will allow you to explore the library’s catalog and to search relevant keywords.

It is important to find credible sources and use those that you can be sure are sufficiently scholarly .

  • Consult your institute’s library to find out what books, journals, research databases, and other types of sources they provide access to.
  • Look for books published by respected academic publishing houses and university presses, as these are typically considered trustworthy sources.
  • Look for journals that use a peer review process. This means that experts in the field assess the quality and credibility of an article before it is published.

When searching for sources in databases, think of specific keywords that are relevant to your topic , and consider variations on them or synonyms that might be relevant.

Once you have a clear idea of your research parameters and key terms, choose a database that is relevant to your research (e.g., Medline, JSTOR, Project MUSE).

Find out if the database has a “subject search” option. This can help to refine your search. Use Boolean operators to combine your keywords, exclude specific search terms, and search exact phrases to find the most relevant sources.

There are many types of sources commonly used in research. These include:

You’ll likely use a variety of these sources throughout the research process , and the kinds of sources you use will depend on your research topic and goals.

Scholarly sources are written by experts in their field and are typically subjected to peer review . They are intended for a scholarly audience, include a full bibliography, and use scholarly or technical language. For these reasons, they are typically considered credible sources .

Popular sources like magazines and news articles are typically written by journalists. These types of sources usually don’t include a bibliography and are written for a popular, rather than academic, audience. They are not always reliable and may be written from a biased or uninformed perspective, but they can still be cited in some contexts.

Cite this Scribbr article

If you want to cite this source, you can copy and paste the citation or click the “Cite this Scribbr article” button to automatically add the citation to our free Citation Generator.

Ryan, E. (2023, May 31). How to Find Sources | Scholarly Articles, Books, Etc.. Scribbr. Retrieved February 22, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/working-with-sources/finding-sources/

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Library Research at Cornell: Find Articles

  • The Research Steps
  • Which Topic?
  • Find the Context
  • Find Articles
  • Evaluate Sources
  • Cite Sources
  • Review the Steps
  • Find Primary Sources
  • Find Images
  • Library Jargon

Tips for Finding Articles

  • Use online databases to find articles in journals, newspapers, and magazines (periodicals). You can search for periodical articles by the article author, title, or keyword by using databases in your subject area in Databases .
  • Choose the database best suited to your particular topic--see details in the box below.
  • Use our Ask a Librarian service for help for figuring out which databases are best for your topic.
  • If the article full text is not linked from the citation in the database you are using, search for the title of the periodical in our Catalog . This catalog lists the print, microform, and electronic versions of journals, magazines, and newspapers available in the library.

Finding Periodicals and Periodical Articles

Topic outline for this page:

  • What Are Periodicals?

Finding the Periodical When You Do Have the Article Citation

  • Locating Periodicals in Olin and Uris Libraries

Distinguishing Scholarly Journals from Other Periodicals

  • Evaluating Individual Periodical Titles

What are Periodicals?

Periodicals are continuing publications such as journals, newspapers, or magazines. They are issued regularly (daily, weekly, monthly, or quarterly).

The Cornell Library Catalog includes records for all the periodicals which are received by all the individual units of the Cornell University Library (Music Library, Mann Library, Law Library, Uris Library, etc.).

The Cornell Library Catalog does not include information on individual articles in periodicals. To find individual periodical articles by subject, article author, or article title, use periodical databases .

When you know the periodical title ( Scientific American, The New York Times, Newsweek ) search the Cornell Library Catalog by journal title .

Finding Articles When You Don't Have the Citation

To find an article, use databases.

When you don't have the citation to a specific article, but you do want to find articles on a subject, by a specific author or authors, or with a known article title, you need to use one or more periodical databases . But how do you know which periodical index to use?

What kind of periodicals are you looking for?

  • scholarly journals?
  • newspapers and substantive news sources?
  • popular magazines?
  • all three kinds?

[ Learn how to identify scholarly journals, news sources, and popular magazines. ]

If you want articles from scholarly, research, peer-reviewed journals , ask a reference librarian to recommend an index/database for your topic. Some databases index journals exclusively, like America: History and Life , EconLit , Engineering Village , MLA Bibliography , PsycINFO , PubMed , and Web of Science . Google Scholar searches across all scholarly disciplines and subjects. You can also use the subject menu in Databases linked from the library home page to locate databases that index scholarly publications.

If you want newspaper articles , see this guide to newspaper indexes and full-text newspaper databases . Online databases for finding newspaper articles are listed here: News Collections Online: News Databases .

If you want popular magazines , use Academic Search Premier or ProQuest Research Library . A printed index, Reader's Guide to Periodical Literature covering popular magazines from 1890 to 2011 is found in the Olin reference collection (Olin Reference AI 3 .R28).

The online index Reader's Guide Retrospective indexes popular magazines from 1890 to 1982 online. Periodical Contents Index covers some popular magazines for an even broader time period: 1770 to 1993.

If you want an index to all three kinds of articles, use Academic Search Premier or ProQuest Research Library . To find older articles, try Periodical Contents Index ; it indexes periodicals from 1770 to 1993.

If you want to search many databases simultaneously , use Articles & Full Text , also linked from the Library home page .

  • If you're not sure which kind of periodical you want or you're not sure which periodical index to use, or if you want help searching, ask a reference librarian .

Remember you can always browse the titles of online periodical databases available online by clicking on this link to the subject categories in the Databases or on the Databases link in the search box on the Library home page .

When You Have a Citation to a Specific Article, Use the Cornell Library Catalog

When you do have the citation or reference to a periodical article--if you know at least the title of the periodical and the issue date of the article you want--you can find its location at Cornell by using the Cornell Library Catalog . Choose "Journal Title" in the drop-down menu to the right of the search box, click in the search box, type in the title of the periodical in the search box, and press <enter> . Don't use the abbreviated titles that are often used in periodical indexes; remember to omit "a," "an" or "the" when you type in the periodical title.

Search examples in the Cornell Library Catalog:

* When searching for the title, Journal of Modern History

Type the following in the search box: journal of modern history

* When searching for the title, Annales Musicologiques: Moyen-Age et Renaissance

You may type the following: annales musicologiques moyen age (Omit punctuation) (searching is not case sensitive)

Depending on the number of records your search retrieves, you will see either a list of entries or a single record for an individual periodical title. If there is a list of titles, scroll through it and click on the line that lists the journal title you want to see for the call number and location information or the online link(s).

If the journal is available in electronic form , there will be a link or links int the box labelled "Availability" in the catalog record. Click on this link. In most cases, this will take you to the opening screen for the journal, and you can choose the issue you want from there.

If the journal is available in print form , record the call number and any additional location information in the catalog record. Now you're ready to find it on the shelf. Consult the local stack directory for the call number locations in individual libraries.

Locating Print Periodicals in Olin and Uris Libraries

Current periodicals:.

Periodicals noted as "Current issues in Periodicals Room" in the Cornell Library Catalog are print journals shelved by title in the Current Periodicals Room on the main level in Olin Library. This room is immediately to the right and down the hall as you enter Olin Library. Only a small selection of current print periodicals is in this room : all other current periodical issues go directly to the Olin stacks where they are shelved by call number.

Back Issues of Periodicals

Back issues of periodicals are shelved by call number in the Olin and Uris Library stacks. Some back periodicals are shelved in specific subject rooms; watch for location notes in the Cornell Library Catalog record for the title you want.

Pay attention to the + and ++ indicators by the call number. Titles with the + and ++ (Oversize) designations and titles with no plus marks are each shelved in separate sections on each floor in Olin Library and separate floors in Uris Library.

Back issues on microfilm, microfiche, and microprint are housed on the lower or B Level in Olin Library.

Journals, news publications, and magazines are important sources for up-to-date information across a wide variety of topics. With a collection as large and diverse as Cornell's it is often difficult to distinguish between the various levels of scholarship found in the collection. In this guide we have divided the criteria for evaluating periodical literature into four categories:

  • Scholarly  /  VIDEO: How to Identify Scholarly Journal Articles
  • Substantive News and General Interest  /  VIDEO: How to Identify Substantive News Articles
  • Sensational and Tabloid

Definitions:

Webster's Third International Dictionary defines scholarly as:

  • concerned with academic study, especially research,
  • exhibiting the methods and attitudes of a scholar, and
  • having the manner and appearance of a scholar.

Substantive is defined as having a solid base, being substantial.

Popular means fit for, or reflecting the taste and intelligence of, the people at large.

Sensational is defined as arousing or intending to arouse strong curiosity, interest or reaction.

Keeping these definitions in mind, and realizing that none of the lines drawn between types of journals can ever be totally clear cut, the general criteria are as follows.

Scholarly journals are also called academic, peer-reviewed, or refereed journals . Strictly speaking, peer-reviewed (also called refereed) journals refer only to those scholarly journals that submit articles to several other scholars, experts, or academics (peers) in the field for review and comment. These reviewers must agree that the article represents properly conducted original research or writing before it can be published.

To check if a journal is peer-reviewed/refereed, search the journal by title in Ulrich's Periodical Directory --look for the referee jersey icon.

What to look for:

  • Scholarly journal articles often have an abstract, a descriptive summary of the article contents, before the main text of the article.
  • Scholarly journals generally have a sober, serious look. They often contain many graphs and charts but few glossy pages or exciting pictures.
  • Scholarly journals always cite their sources in the form of footnotes or bibliographies. These bibliographies are generally lengthy and cite other scholarly writings.
  • Articles are written by a scholar in the field or by someone who has done research in the field. The affiliations of the authors are listed, usually at the bottom of the first page or at the end of the article--universities, research institutions, think tanks, and the like.
  • The language of scholarly journals is that of the discipline covered. It assumes some technical background on the part of the reader.
  • The main purpose of a scholarly journal is to report on original research or experimentation in order to make such information available to the rest of the scholarly world.
  • Many scholarly journals, though by no means all, are published by a specific professional organization.

Examples of Scholarly Journals:

  • American Economic Review
  • Applied Geography
  • Archives of Sexual Behavior
  • JAMA : The Journal of the American Medical Association
  • Journal of Marriage and the Family (published by the National Council on Family Relations)
  • Journal of Theoretical Biology
  • Modern Fiction Studies

Substantive News or General Interest

These periodicals may be quite attractive in appearance, although some are in newspaper format. Articles are often heavily illustrated, generally with photographs.

News and general interest periodicals sometimes cite sources, though more often do not.

Articles may be written by a member of the editorial staff, a scholar or a free lance writer.

The language of these publications is geared to any educated audience. There is no specialty assumed, only interest and a certain level of intelligence.

They are generally published by commercial enterprises or individuals, although some emanate from specific professional organizations.

The main purpose of periodicals in this category is to provide information, in a general manner, to a broad audience of concerned citizens.

Examples of Substantive News and General Interest Periodicals:

  • The Economist
  • National Geographic
  • The New York Times
  • Scientific American
  • Vital Speeches of the Day

Popular periodicals come in many formats, although often slick and attractive in appearance with lots of color graphics (photographs, drawings, etc.).

These publications do not cite sources in a bibliography. Information published in popular periodicals is often second or third hand and the original source is rarely mentioned.

Articles are usually very short and written in simple language.

The main purpose of popular periodicals is to entertain the reader, to sell products (their own or their advertisers), or to promote a viewpoint.

Examples of Popular Periodicals:

  • People Weekly
  • Readers Digest
  • Sports Illustrated

Sensational or Tabloid

Sensational periodicals come in a variety of styles, but often use a newspaper format.

Their language is elementary and occasionally inflammatory. They assume a certain gullibility in their audience.

The main purpose of sensational magazines seems to be to arouse curiosity and to cater to popular superstitions. They often do so with flashy headlines designed to astonish (e.g., Half-man Half-woman Makes Self Pregnant).

Examples of Sensational Periodicals:

  • National Examiner
  • Weekly World News

Evaluating Periodicals: Magazines for Libraries

Magazines for Libraries describes and evaluates journals, magazines, and newspapers:

Or ask for assistance at the reference desk .

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How to find articles and databases: finding articles.

  • Finding Articles
  • Finding Databases
  • Resource Types
  • Guide to Database Icons

Help finding articles

You can use UC Library Search on the Library homepage to search across various book and article databases simultaneously. To find the best resources for your topic, you might want to go directly to a specific database.

Find the best database(s) for your research topic:

General article databases  are a good place to start since they include both popular and scholarly journal titles covering numerous disciplines. Simply choose one of those databases and type in your keywords to begin to find articles.

Browse for databases by subject  (such as  Economics ,  Electrical Engineering , or  Art History ) if you want to dig deeper into resources covering a specific discipline. If you aren’t sure what subject to choose, look for the academic department that your class is listed under. Once you’ve chosen a subject, search for your topic in one or two of the recommended databases that are listed on the top of the subject list.

Browse for databases by type  if you want to find other kinds of formats, such as encyclopedias, newspapers, government information sources, statistics, maps, images and more.

  • Cite sources
  • Find articles
  • Find databases
  • Find video and audio
  • Find data/GIS resources
  • Find books and e-books
  • Find course reserves

See also the full list of Library guides and tutorials .

Research help

  • Research Help (LibAnswers) Chat 24/7, email, or browse FAQs.
  • Appointments   Schedule a 30-minute research meeting with a librarian. 
  • Find a subject librarian Find a library expert in your specific field of study.
  • Research guides on your topic Learn more about resources for your topic or subject.
  • Questions about access, borrowing, blocks and billing Contact the Privileges Desk
  • Next: Finding Databases >>
  • Last Updated: Feb 2, 2024 9:36 AM
  • URL: https://guides.lib.berkeley.edu/finding-databases-and-articles
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  • Research Guides

Essentials of Library Research

  • Finding Articles & Journals
  • Getting Started
  • Choosing Your Topic
  • Finding Books & Media
  • Evaluating Information
  • Citing Sources

Why Use Library Databases

Recommended Databases

Need articles for your library research project, but not sure where to start? We recommend these top ten article databases for kicking off your research. If you can't find what you need searching in one of these top ten databases, browse the list of all library databases by subject (academic discipline) or title .

  • U-M Library Articles Search This link opens in a new window Use Articles Search to locate scholarly and popular articles, as well as reference works and materials from open access archives.
  • ABI/INFORM Global This link opens in a new window Indexes 3,000+ business-related periodicals (with full text for 2,000+), including Wall Street Journal.
  • Academic OneFile This link opens in a new window Provides indexing for over 8,000 scholarly journals, industry periodicals, general interest magazines and newspapers.
  • Access World News [NewsBank] This link opens in a new window Full text of 600+ U.S. newspapers and 260+ English-language newspapers from other countries worldwide.
  • CQ Researcher This link opens in a new window Noted for its in-depth, unbiased coverage of health, social trends, criminal justice, international affairs, education, the environment, technology, and the economy.
  • Gale Health and Wellness This link opens in a new window Provides access to medical, health, and wellness information from authoritative medical sources.
  • Humanities Abstracts (with Full Text) This link opens in a new window Covers 700 periodicals in art, film, journalism, linguistics, music, performing arts, philosophy, religion, history, literature, etc.
  • JSTOR This link opens in a new window Full-text access to the archives of 2,600+ journals and 35,000+ books in the arts, humanities, social sciences and sciences.
  • ProQuest Research Library This link opens in a new window Indexes over 5,000 journals and magazines, academic and popular, with full text included for over 3,600.
  • PsycInfo (APA) This link opens in a new window Premier resource for surveying the literature of psychology and adjunct fields. Covers 1887-present. Produced by the APA.

Finding Databases

The U-M Library subscribes to hundreds of databases which gives you access to thousands of journals and articles. The following video explains how you can find the appropriate database for your research needs

In addition to finding datases, the Journal search allows you to search for journals available at U-M. If you know the title of the journal you can enter it into the search box. If you are not looking for a specific journal you can browse by discipline. If U-M doesn’t own the journal you are looking for, we can obtain copies of articles for you via interlibrary loan .

Screen shot of "women's studies" search in Library Online Journals Search.

Finding & Accessing Articles Using Library Search

The U-M Library Articles Search is a gateway to discovering a wide range of library resources. Please watch the video below on how to effectively and efficiently use Library Search.

research your article library

Getting Started with Library Research: An Overview of the Process

  • Overview of Research Process
  • 1. Your Question
  • 2. Find Background Information
  • Find Articles

Find Scholarly or Peer-Reviewed Articles (UO video tutorial)

A-z database list, finding articles, strategies for narrowing your search to get better results, finding the full text of an article in a database.

  • Find Books & Physical Items
  • Find Films, Images, Primary Sources
  • 4. Read & Evaluate
  • 5. Organize, Write & Cite
  • Give feedback about this guide

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Searching Databases (Video Tutorial)

Watch this video from  Yavapai College Library to learn how to search library databases.

Google Scholar Search Widget

Google Scholar Search

Citation Chaining in Google Scholar (Video Tutorial)

Citation chaining (or chasing) is the name for a process in which you use an information source to find other work that is cited within the first source (backwards chaining) or cites to the first source (forward chaining). 

Below is a YouTube video on how citation chaining works in Google Scholar. Keep in mind that you should not have to pay for an article while you are a UO student. Contact your Subject Librarian for help locating materials. In this video, look for a "fluff word" that the researcher uses when searching.

BrowZine Search

research your article library

Access to Trial Databases

Trial databases.

Trial databases  offer free access for a given period to journal articles and other resources covering many disciplines and special interests—everything from New World cinema to Russian mass media to sports medicine. UO students, faculty, and staff can explore the databases during the trial period and provide feedback on their usefulness. To access these trial databases from off-campus, you must log into the UO VPN Client software . 

Install the VPN to use Trial Databases

  • Connecting to UO VPN (UO Service Portal)

Videos database

  • Find Scholarly or Peer Reviewed Articles (UO video tutorial)
  • Check out more video tutorials from UO Libraries

Databases A-Z logo from website

If you know which database you want, use the dropdown menu above to choose it. If you want to browse the databases by subject, click on the link on the left and use the filters to explore our subscription databases! 

Look at other Subject guides to see which databases the Subject Librarians recommend for that discipline/major.

Library databases (sometimes called indexes) are like search engines but search scholarly journals, magazines, newspapers, and other sources.

Some databases are multi-disciplinary, and are useful for all kinds of topics:

Not sure where to start? Try using one of these...

UO restricted.  Login required for off-campus access.

Some databases focus on a specific subject or discipline:

Searching for a specific article.

Some databases contain unique materials such as dissertations, primary sources, images, music, videos, and government documents.  Browse library databases for more suggestions .

Below are 4 top strategies to narrow your search:

  • Use AND between keywords to find articles where two or more keywords appear together

Aspirin AND Children AND Reye's Syndrome = Venn Diagram showing overlap between all three terms indicating search results will include all three.

  • Use the filters / limiters in the search interface to narrow your search results to a specific date range or resource type (format: book, journal article, news article, etc.)

LibrarySearch showing Aspirin AND Children AND "Reye's Syndrome" with filters for Resource type: Articles; Date: 2012-2022 and; Subject: Aspirin

  • Add a Subject Term (found in a database's Index or Thesaurus) to your search to find results that are "tagged" with that term to indicate they are "about" that topic/idea. Tip: Use just 1 or 2 Subject Terms per search so you don't get too narrow too quickly and end up with too few results.

Screenshot of Academic Search Premier Database showing the location of the thesaurus or "Subject Terms" search interface

After adding a Subject Term to your search, click "Search" and then combine with additional keywords using AND. Note where the Subject Term shows up in your results:

Screenshot of Search using the Subject term "Reye's syndrome" and where it appears in the results

  • Choose a database that is limited to your major, subject, or discipline . Use the link below to find a research guide with database recommendations for your discipline!
  • All Research Guides All research guides by subject can be found here.

Get research articles at no cost to you!

Follow the steps shown in these screenshots to locate or request the full text of an article from a database like Academic Search Premier (EBSCO). Note : The process in ProQuest and other databases is the same.

You can use the limiter on the left sidebar to narrow to results that only include access to the full text, or just look for the results that include a PDF or HTML option.

A screen shot of a search in Academic Search Premier for "Pacific Northwest" AND conserv* AND (fish OR salmon) with an arrow pointing to the full text options in pdf or html

This screen shot shows various options for getting the full text of this article through the UO Libraries' subscription to Academic Search Premier.

No PDF link?

FindText button

Still no full text pdf? Ask us to Scan & Deliver it to you!

When the full text is not available as a PDF (or HTML format) in a database, you still have options to get it at no cost to you (up to certain limits. See About Borrowing for more).

Click the Find Text  button below the search result you want, and then look for the  Check availability link.

Screenshot of Check Availability link in database with option for Scan & Deliver.

Scan & Deliver  is for requesting an electronic copy of an article or book section that the University of Oregon Libraries owns in physical format. In the screen capture above, this journal is at our Math Library.

Choose I nterlibrary Loan to request physical items (books, DVDs) that we don't own within 1-3 weeks or electronic items (PDFs of journal or magazine articles) in 24-48 hours at no cost to you.

Contact the Resource Sharing office at 541-346-3055 or  [email protected] .

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  • URL: https://researchguides.uoregon.edu/getting-started

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Getting Started with Library Research

Research needs and requirements vary with each assignment, project, or paper. Although there is no single “right” way to conduct research, certain methods and skills can make your research efforts more efficient and effective.

If you have questions or can’t find what you need,  ask a librarian .

Developing a Research Topic

All research starts with a question.

  • Discuss your ideas with a librarian or with your professor.
  • Formulate a research question and identify keywords.
  • Search subject-focused encyclopedias, books, and journals to see what kind of information already exists on your topic. If you are having trouble finding information, you may need to change your search terms or ask for help.

Additional resources:

  • Library Research at Cornell
  • Research Guides

Using the Library to Find Research Materials

The Library is the top resource when it comes to locating and accessing research materials.

  • Use the library catalog to find materials such as books, music, videos, journals, and audio recordings in our collections.
  • Search databases to find articles, book chapters, and other sources within a specific subject area or discipline.
  • For materials the Library does not own, use BorrowDirect or Interlibrary Loan for quick and easy access.
  • Each library unit has unique collections and subject knowledge. See individual library websites for additional resources in specific subject areas.
  • Check out our library research guides for lists of resources curated by library staff. Browse by subject or find guides specific to course offerings.

Evaluating Sources

When using a book, article, report, or website for your research, it is important to gauge how reliable the source is. Visit these research guides for more information:

  • How to distinguish scholarly vs non-scholarly sources
  • Tips for critically analyzing information sources
  • Identify misinformation, disinformation, and propaganda

Citing Sources

When writing a research paper, it is important to cite the sources you used in a way that would enable a reader to easily find them.

  • Citation Management
  • How to Prepare an Annotated Bibliography
  • Code of Academic Integrity

Finding scholarly, peer reviewed articles

Learn how to search for only scholarly and peer-reviewed journal articles.

Scholarly articles are written by researchers and intended for an audience of other researchers. Scholarly writers may assume that the reader already has some understanding of the topic and its vocabulary. Peer-reviewed articles are evaluated by other scholars or experts within the same field as the author before they are published, to help ensure the validity of the research being done. Learn more about the peer review process .

Many scholarly articles are peer-reviewed and vice versa, but this may not always be the case. In addition, an article can be from a peer-reviewed journal and not actually be peer reviewed. Components such as editorials, news items, and book reviews do not go through the same review process.

Many professors will require that you use only scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles in your research papers and assignments. To simplify the research process, you can limit your search to only see peer-reviewed articles in Library Search and many library databases.

Limiting to peer-reviewed articles in Library Search

In Library Search, you can refine your results to peer-reviewed articles by selecting two filters. Under “Availability,” choose “Peer-reviewed Journals.” Under “Resource Type,” choose “Articles.” If you plan to do multiple searches, be sure to click the lock icon that says “Remember all filters” underneath “Active Filters” at the top. This will ensure your results continue to show only peer-reviewed articles even if you try different keywords. Peer-reviewed articles will display a purple icon of a book with an eye over it under their title and citation information.

Filter options in Library Search. The "Peer-reviewed Journals" and "Articles" options have filled checkboxes next to their names, which indicates these options have been selected.

Limiting to peer-reviewed articles in databases

Many databases have an option to limit your search results to peer-reviewed articles. This will usually appear either in advanced search options or in a bank of filters in the search results screen.

Search options for a database hosted in EBSCO. Under the subheading “Limit your results,” a checkbox with the words “Peer Reviewed” above it is enclosed in a red square to indicate its position on the screen.

Checking the status of your article

If you need further confirmation of whether an article comes from a peer-reviewed journal, you can follow one of the procedures below.

Search for a journal title in the library’s Journals search list. Titles that are peer reviewed will have a small purple icon of an eye above an open book with the words “Peer-Reviewed” next to it.

A small purple icon of an eye above an open book, and the words "Peer-Reviewed" are enclosed in a red rectangle.

If you don’t find a journal in the Journals’ list as described above, you can consult the UlrichsWeb database . It includes information on journals that are not owned by the University, so you might want to check a journal title there before you make an Interlibrary Loan request. When you search for a journal title in this database, you will see a small black and white referee icon. This indicates that the journal is peer reviewed. You can also check the journal publisher's website. It should indicate whether articles go through a peer-review process on a page that contains instructions for authors.

In this entry for the "Journal of Social Work," there is a small black and white "referee" icon, which indicates that the journal is peer reviewed. The "referee" icon is enclosed in a red square.

University Library

Start your research.

  • Research Process
  • Find Background Info
  • Find Sources through the Library
  • Evaluate Your Info
  • Cite Your Sources
  • Evaluate, Write & Cite

WHY START WITH LIBRARY SEARCH?

Library search.

► Is a search platform with ONLINE TEXTS (and print ones as well) 

► Covers a broad range of research TOPICS

► It includes academic and other sources TYPES relevant to the needs of researchers 

► Has FILTERS that make sorting through sources convenient and easy!

HOW TO USE LIBRARY SEARCH & MANAGE RESULTS

Library search has two entry points:.

Clipped image of home page search box and library search home page

Image Caption: On the left, The Library home page search box. On the right, The Library Search homepage.

Depending on where you begin your search (Library home page or the Library Search itself) this may affect how you employ the following things: 

Search . Simply enter your keywords as you would on a search engine like Google.

► Try a keyword search;

► Add or remove words as needed;

► If a word doesn't seem to be working replace it with a synonym.

► Search is iterative. The more you learn about a topic the more confident you'll become with your searches. If you're not feeling confident after a day or so, let one of us at the library know [link to appointments]  

Sign in.  This truly depends on where you start your search. Signing in provides you with access to materials that are available only to UCSC students and other affiliates. The moment you have a chance, Sign in:

► Look for the yellow banner reminding you to sign in, or

image of library search banner with sign in link

► Look for the Sign in link in the upper right hand corner.

image showing the sign in link in library search

Results.  Results can be overwhelming. Or maybe you only look at the first page of results anyway. Notice:

► The results count;

► LOAD MORE RESULTS link at the end/bottom of the results. 

Filters.  Are your friend. Use these to focus your results. Filters to make note of:

► SHOW ONLY: "Peer Review" & "Open Access"

► RESOURCE TYPES: "Articles," "Book Chapters," "Books," "Newspaper articles," "Images" and MANY OTHERS

► DATES 

Access.  Some things will be available online only and some will be available in the library only (for you to check out). Look for:

► Available online and follow the links provided

► For physical items in the library, look for a call number to be able to find these 

WHEN & HOW TO MOVE ON TO OTHER DATABASES

Library search should provide sufficient research materials for most student research projects. Reasons to use different database:

  • Your Library Search results lack the depth needed for your research project.
  • You're conducting searches for a paper in your major, and feel lost by the results in Library Search.
  • You need sources from a disciplinary perspective, for example methods, theories, scholarly conversations, etc. 

Start by findind a database in your discipline or subject:

  • All Library Subject Guides These guides are organized by Subject. They list the most relevant databases for finding journal articles and other research by subject.

Some frequently used databases include:

Database Tutorial

Tutorial

Take the   Academic Search Complete Tutorial!

This tutorial provides an intro to this multidisciplinary database. This database includes articles from a broad range of topics, many with full text. After completing this tutorial you'll be able to:

  • conduct and focus a basic search
  • view full text if available

cite and email search results to yourself

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  • Next: Evaluate Your Info >>

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The land on which we gather is the unceded territory of the Awaswas-speaking Uypi Tribe. The Amah Mutsun Tribal Band, comprised of the descendants of indigenous people taken to missions Santa Cruz and San Juan Bautista during Spanish colonization of the Central Coast, is today working hard to restore traditional stewardship practices on these lands and heal from historical trauma.

The land acknowledgement used at UC Santa Cruz was developed in partnership with the Amah Mutsun Tribal Band Chairman and the Amah Mutsun Relearning Program at the UCSC Arboretum .

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How To Do Library Research

  • Introduction

Guide Contents

Getting started.

  • Selecting a Topic
  • Understanding Keywords
  • Tips and Tricks
  • Types of Information
  • Publication Cycles
  • Follow a Citation
  • Finding and Using EBooks
  • Finding Books
  • Finding Articles
  • Finding Statistics & Data
  • Finding Primary Sources
  • Citation Help This link opens in a new window
  • Ask A Librarian This link opens in a new window

Ask a Librarian

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Welcome to the How To Do Library Research guide! Use the menu on the left to get research advice that will help you successfully navigate the Libraries' print and electronic collections.

If you're new to the Libraries, you may want to visit our Services for Undergrads page or Services for Grad Students page to learn about the library resources and services that are available to you.

If at any point you need help, you can  Ask a Librarian  or consult the Libraries'  tutorials .

Depending on your topic and type of assignment, the resources you'll need for your research may include books from academic publishers, articles from scholarly journals, data and statistics, primary sources, articles from trade journals and popular publications, government documents, standards, images, music, videos, and more. All of these types of sources can be found in the Libraries and on the Libraries' website.

When getting started on a research assignment, the first thing you'll need to do is make sure you understand the scope of the project and your instructor's expectations. In addition to carefully reading any assignment prompts, directions, rubrics, etc. that your instructor has provided, you may also want to consult these tips and tools for specific types of research assignments and writing in particular fields .

Once you've familiarized yourself with the particulars of your assignment, you'll need to start thinking about a topic. If you're choosing your own topic, the next section of this guide, Selecting a Topic has useful advice on that. If your topic has been decided for you, you can jump ahead to Search Strategies .

Before you dive in to your research, you may want to make a time management plan to help you stay on track. The Libraries' Research Project Calculator can be used to plan your research and writing with an eight-step process.

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  • Last Updated: Nov 29, 2023 3:51 PM
  • URL: https://libraryguides.binghamton.edu/libraryresearch
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How to Do Library Research

Academic Writing Service

How to do library research? Many times instructors will recommend, or even require, that student researchers avoid the popular search engines and, instead, use a library, when doing their research. A visit to the library can transform your research efforts from simple look-ups into an educational experience that reveals many more resources that are open to you.

Not only is a library a source of countless texts, but it is also a place where you can seek the help of reference librarians who are schooled in using both print and digital resources to find reliable sources of information.Research librarians can also help you review and understand the requirements of an assignment, help you get started, and direct you in your search for information.

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Libraries also offer you the advantage of being able to access books, articles, and other documents that are off-limits to average users. Most public and university libraries are members of these database networks, and they allow you to access them through computers in the library or by entering information from your library card or student ID.Many libraries offer their own search engines for finding articles in specialized databases. Usually, they allow you to search by categories (such as the humanities, science, or business) and click on a journal to browse it or to enter keywords to search across databases, much like you do when using an online search engine.

How to Use a Library Catalog

An important part of your exploratory research is identifying the specific sources to use when you begin taking notes for your paper. The best place to start is the library catalog, which includes a list of all the books in your library. Assuming the catalog is online and you need help using it, ask the librarian to show you how. Check to see if you can access your library catalog on your home computer too.

You can search the library catalog in three ways—by subject, title, or author. A subject search shows the titles of books on your topic. To do a subject search, type in your topic. Then click on “subject.” You will get a list of all the books in the library on your topic, including the title, author, and call number for each book. The call number is important because the books are placed on the shelves in numerical order according to call number.

If you happen to know particular authors or titles of books that you might want to use, do an author or title search. Type in the author’s name to get a list of books by that author, or type in the title of a book to get information about that book.

In most online catalogs, you can get more information about a book by highlighting the title and clicking on “more information,” “expanded view,” or a similar phrase that appears on the screen. Then the catalog shows the name of the publisher, the place and date the book was published, whether or not the book is available, the call number, and where in the library it is located—the reference section, the adult nonfiction section, or the children’s section. You also may be able to click on helpful options such as “More by this author” or “More titles like this.”

All libraries use some form of cataloging or classification system to organize books. This allows library patrons to easily find the books on the shelves and tells librarians how to return them to their proper places when borrowers bring them back. Libraries use a variety of different classification schemes to index and shelve their books.The two most widely used are the Dewey Decimal Classification system (DDC) and the Library of Congress Classification system (LCC).

The Dewey Decimal Classification System (DDC) was developed by Melvil Dewey in 1876 to standardize the way in which books were organized within libraries. The Library of Congress Classification System (LCC) was developed in 1897 by the U.S. Library of Congress to meet the archival needs of the U.S. government. More than 95 percent of U.S. libraries use one or the other to provide a logical system for helping researchers and readers quickly locate titles about their topics. Most U.S. research and university libraries have moved to the LCC, while the DDC continues as the system most often found in public and school libraries. The categories in the two systems tend to reflect one another, although the precise alphanumeric system used by each is different. Both systems are constantly being expanded to keep up with the evergrowing body of published knowledge.

Researchers who lack a working knowledge of either system can always ask a librarian to point them in the right direction. However, it helps to have a basic understanding of how the systems work, particularly if you plan to browse the library shelves for books on your research paper topic.

Decoding Call Numbers

Both the DDC and the LCC use alphanumeric systems to identify titles according to topic. Each title is assigned an identification number, called a “call number,” according to how it is classified in the DDC or LCC.

Because it uses a system in which the categories and subcategories are divisible by 10, many researchers find DDC call numbers more logical and easier to use than the LCC’s alphanumeric codes. The DDC organizes topics under 10 general categories that are identified by number. Each category is further divided into subcategories, also identified by number. DDC codes continue with a decimal-based system that is relatively easy to decipher as you zero in on your subject. Many times, the decimal is followed by a letter which indicates the first letter of the last name of the author.

Dewey Decimal Classification System

The 10 general categories of the Dewey Decimal System include:

  • 000 Generalities
  • 100 Philosophy and psychology
  • 200 Religion
  • 300 Social sciences and anthropology
  • 400 Language
  • 500 Natural sciences and mathematics
  • 600 Technology and applied sciences
  • 700 The arts
  • 800 Literature and rhetoric
  • 900 Geography and history

For a list of the subclassifications under each category and more information about the DDC, visit the Dewey Services page of the Online Computer Library Center, Inc. (OCLC) at  http://www.oclc.org/dewey.en.html .

Library of Congress Classification System

LCC call numbers begin with a letter, designating the general category, followed by either another letter or a number that designates the subcategory. Deciphering LCC codes is trickier and may require the help of a librarian. The first letter in an LCC call number refers to one of the 21 categories represented in the system.The initial digit is followed by a letter or number combination that represents the subcategory. However, some categories in the LCC (including E and F which represent the history of the Americas) use numbers to indicate the subcategory and others (such as D which represents some areas of history, and K which represents Law) use three letters.The digits that follow the category and subcategory in the call number further define the subject. The final three letter-number combination in the call number is called the “cutter number.” It provides a code to the name of the author or the organization that sponsored the publication. The 21 general categories of the LCC include:

  • A General works
  • B Philosophy, psychology, religion
  • C Auxiliary sciences of history, such as archaeology and genealogy
  • D World history and the history of Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and so on
  • E–F History of the Americas
  • G Geography, anthropology, recreation
  • H Social sciences
  • J Political science
  • L Education
  • M Music and books on music
  • N Fine arts
  • P Language and literature
  • S Agriculture
  • T Technology and engineering
  • U Military science
  • V Naval science
  • Z Bibliography and library science, information resources

You will find a full list of LCC categories and subcategories in Appendix B of this book. More information about the LCC can be found online through the Library of Congress Cataloging Distribution Service at  http://www.loc.gov/cds/ .

No matter which system your library uses, your search for books at the library will begin with the library’s catalog. A library catalog is much like any other catalog. It is a record of everything that is available to you. Items within the library are indexed by their call numbers and arranged on the shelves according to their categories and subcategories.

Browsing for Information

Knowing the category and subcategory designations for your research paper topic also allows you to peruse the library shelves and browse titles in your subject area. Browsing is often useful in the early stages of your search for information because it allows you to open the books and scan the tables of contents, indexes, introductions, and chapter headings of books on your topic. These, in turn, can offer you a good idea of how helpful the work will be. Browsing, however, can be time-consuming.

To use your browsing time effectively, acquaint yourself with the categories under which you will likely find titles about your topic. Learn where the categories are shelved in the library. Typically, you will find topic labels or the range of call numbers for the topics in that aisle posted at the ends of individual aisles. After identifying the call numbers for your topic and subtopic, you will be able to go directly to the shelves where titles on your topic are located.

Keep in mind, however, that the best materials on your topic might not always be in the section where you are browsing. If a publication covers a variety of topics, it may be classified under one that is different from what you looked up.

Fortunately, subjects in card catalogs are cross-referenced so that you can search by title of the work,author’s name,and a variety of keywords, as well as by subject.Your search will produce a record of the books with a “call number,” or identification code. Libraries typically organize their shelves sequentially according to the system they use and label the ends of the aisles with the range of numbers to be found on the shelves in each aisle.

An Effective Browsing Strategy:

  • Identify the main category in the DDC or LCC system (whichever one your library uses) under which you are likely to find your topic.
  • Identify the logical subcategory under which your topic would fall.
  • Make a notation of the category and subcategory identification codes.
  • Use the first digit in the identification code to find your aisle.
  • Use the second digit in the code to identify the range of shelves containing titles on the subcategory.
  • Find titles that fit your topic.
  • Review the chapter headings, introduction, index, relevant pages, illustrations, and captions in the volume to identify how helpful the title will be.
  • As you browse through the shelves, remember that when the initial digits of the identification codes change, you’ll be leaving your topic and moving into another.

How to Use Books for Research Paper Writing

For many people, books are an indispensable part of research. For starters, they’re “user-friendly.” It’s easy to open a book and start reading. You don’t need any special equipment such as a computer terminal to read a book, either. Since it takes time to write and publish a book, they tend to be reliable sources. Right now, you’ll learn how to find the books you need to complete your research paper. Library collections are also limited by the physical capacity of the buildings. Fortunately, most of today’s libraries are connected through networks to other, affiliated libraries, allowing you to order titles that can be delivered locally. The library’s card catalog tells you what is in your library’s collection and what can be ordered through its network.

All libraries are repositories of recorded information, but not all libraries are alike. Their collections differ—both in the kinds of materials they offer and in how they categorize them. Public libraries, for instance, typically feature large sections of popular fiction, while research libraries may offer classical fiction but few titles that you would find on a current best-seller list. If you were looking for vampire novels, for instance, you are likely to find Bram Stoker’s 1897 Gothic classic,  Dracula , but do not expect it to share a shelf with the recent popular  Twilight  series by Stephanie Meyer.

The books you will use for your research paper fall into two main categories:  fiction  and nonfiction :

  • Fiction is novels and short stories. Fiction is cataloged under the author’s last name.
  • Nonfiction books, however, are classified in two different ways. Some libraries use the Dewey Decimal System; other libraries use the Library of Congress system. In general, elementary, junior high, high school, and community libraries use the Dewey Decimal System. University and academic libraries use the Library of Congress system.

Your research paper topic determines how you search for a book. Since most research papers deal with topics and issues, you’ll likely be searching by subject. However, it is often necessary to look under titles and authors as well. Consider all three avenues of finding information as you look through the card catalog.

Useful Books to Consider

A reference work is a compendium of information that you use to find a specific piece of information, rather than read cover to cover. Updated editions are published as needed, in some cases annually. In addition to specific books on your research paper topic,  here are some general reference sources to consider:

Encyclopedias . Some teachers will not let their students cite encyclopedias in their bibliographies, but that’s no reason not to use them for background information. An encyclopedia can be an excellent way to get a quick, authoritative overview of your topic. This can often help you get a handle on the issues. There are general encyclopedias ( World Books ,  Britannica ,  Colliers ,  Funk and Wagnalls ) as well as technical ones. The encyclopedias can be in print form or online.

Guide to Reference Sources . Published by the American Library Association, this useful guide has five main categories: general reference works; humanities; social and behavioral sciences; history and area studies; and science, technology, and medicine. The new editions include online sources as well as print ones. Another excellent reference guide is  Credo Reference  (formerly Xreferplus), an online product that accesses more than 200 reference books online.

Who’s Who in America . This reference work includes biographical entries on approximately 75,000 Americans and others linked to America.  Who Was Who  covers famous people who have died.

Almanacs . Almanacs are remarkably handy and easy-to-use reference guides. These one-volume books are a great source for statistics and facts.  The World Almanac  and  The Information ,  Please Almanac  are the two best known almanacs. They are updated every year.

Dictionaries . Complete dictionaries provide synonyms, antonyms, word histories, parts of speech, and pronunciation guides in addition to definitions and spelling. Depending on your topic, you may need to define all terms formally before you begin your research.

How to Use Articles in Periodicals

To get the most reliable, up-to-date, and useful information, you will want to use a variety of different reference sources. You will also likely use articles from magazines, newspapers, and journals as well as online sources and books to find information for your research paper.

Periodicals include all material that is published on a regular schedule, such as weekly, biweekly, monthly, bimonthly, four times a year, and so on. Newspapers, magazines, and journals are classified as periodicals.

  • Newspapers and magazines are aimed at a general readership.
  • Journals are aimed at a technical audience.

Finding articles in periodicals that are relevant to your topic can be a bit trickier because they tend to be indexed in separate databases organized by subject.

Electronic look-ups provide the fastest and easiest way of finding articles, allowing you to search on the subject and keywords to zero in on your topic. Frequently, you begin at the same search form that you would use to find book titles. However, articles are usually found through databases that require a bit more searching because you may have to access more than one database to find what you are looking for.

To find articles and essays on your subject:

  • Review the list of databases and periodical indexes that are available at your library.
  • Identify the databases that might address your topic, such as Business Source Premier, for business articles, or MEDLINE for biomedical literature.
  • If you have difficulty finding an appropriate specialized database, use one such as Academic Search Premier or JSTOR which cuts across numerous categories.
  • Go to the search screen for your database.
  • Enter keywords to begin your search.
  • Select logical titles from the results that you receive.
  • Click on each title to retrieve the article citation.
  • Read the abstract, or summary, to see whether that article contains the type of information you are seeking.
  • Click to retrieve the full text if it is available electronically or use the citation information to order the article via email or through your library.

One useful way of identifying additional sources of information is to check the sources of quotations and citations in articles that were helpful to you. You then have the author’s name, the title of the article, or the publication in which an article of interest might have appeared and can look it up using the same database you used to find the original article.

How to Identify Appropriate Sources

Whether you found an article online or in print, you will need to evaluate the authority, or importance, of the research material you uncover.

As a general rule, reference texts, such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, and other standard reference sources like  Who’s Who  or  Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations  may meet the standard for high school research papers but they are generally not acceptable in college. The information in those volumes is considered “generic”—good for gathering general background but not unique or authoritative. Specialized dictionaries and compendiums, such as the Physicians’ Desk Reference , a listing of FDA-approved drugs, represent the exception.

University professors prefer “primary” and “secondary” sources. Primary sources are ones with unique discussions of ideas, concepts, trends, events, personalities, and discoveries. They report findings, set forth arguments, and provide unique insights and conclusions from the authors who wrote them. Secondary sources are materials that use or report on the work of others to provide summaries, analyses, or interpretations of primary sources.

An example of a secondary source would be a book review or an analysis of another work. For example,  The Rights of Man , Thomas Paine’s famous essay in defense of the French Revolution, is a primary work. It sets forth his original argument against the French monarchy. An article that mentions the essay in a discussion about the ideas of philosophers in the 1700s would be considered a secondary source.

This is not to say that you should abandon encyclopedias and other standard references. Such sources make great starting points in your research. Not only do they provide valuable background on the topic you plan to discuss, but they reveal the wealth of information that is commonly known about the subject.

Encyclopedias can also point you to other valuable sources. Encyclopedia articles often contain their own bibliographies that cite the primary and secondary research sources that the encyclopedia writers and editors used to develop the article. Not only will these citations direct you to primary sources that can be useful in your own research, but they come from sources that you know were deemed reliable by the editors of the encyclopedia.

How to Identify Reputable Print Sources

Finding information for your research paper in print sources can be equally as challenging as finding them online. Often the information you seek will be found in a small section of one article that appears in a very large volume. How do you find the information and know it will be useful unless you read the whole thing?

How to Find Good Print Resources:

  • Look up your topic in the book’s index. Read those passages.
  • Check journals and reports for an abstract, summary of findings, or executive summary at the beginning; these highlight the key information in the report.
  • Review prefaces, introductions, and summaries on dust jackets for a quick overview.
  • Read reviews, summaries, and commentaries about books.
  • Check citations in a work to see how well-documented the work is.
  • Read headlines, subheads, and call-outs in newspapers and magazines.
  • Scan graphics and illustrations. Read the captions that accompany them.

How to Read Critically

You cannot write intelligently about a subject if you have not fully read and understood the material you found in your research. This requires “critical” reading. Critical reading means more than reviewing and recording the material. It means pausing to think about it. Ask yourself whether you found the research convincing.Then ask yourself: Why or why not?

There are strategies for critical reading, just as there are for writing research papers. Critical reading requires you to gain a complete and accurate understanding of the material you find in your research so that you can analyze it intelligently and interpret it for others. This means devoting more time to the reading than you normally do when you sit down to casually read a newspaper or curl up with a novel.

Expect to spend more time with a text than what it takes to simply understand what it says. Think about what you read; ask yourself questions about it. Evaluate its logic. Consider alternatives to the information the author presented. Be prepared to turn to other texts if you do not find answers to your questions or if the author’s arguments appear invalid. The more you can inform yourself about your topic and what other writers have said about it,the more you will equip yourself for the task ahead.

Critical reading is challenging so you will want to diminish noise and interferences. Turn off your radio, TV, iPod, and cell phone—anything that is likely to interrupt. Do not check your e-mail or read while socializing with friends. Reading in a quiet environment, and pursuing strategies for understanding eases the process and reduces the amount of time you will spend on research.

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*Get Started with Research*

  • Identify your topic
  • Create a search strategy
  • Find Books and ebooks
  • Find Articles
  • Find Articles in Newspapers
  • Types of Sources
  • Evaluate Sources
  • Understanding Plagiarism

Need research assistance? Click to Meet with a Librarian

Contact the library: Call us at 401-341-2289 Email us at [email protected] Chat with us from any library web page Visit us at the information desk Find us in the staff directory

Finding the right database

To find articles at the library, you need to use databases.  Databases are organized collections of resources (articles, ebooks, music, videos, images, datasets, etc.) that are structured to make the information accessible to users.  Databases can be interdisciplinary, containing resources on many subjects and fields of study, or they can be subject-specific with resources that are especially useful for particular disciplines.  

To access the library databases available at McKillop Library, see the A-Z Databases list for an alphabetical listing of over 140 databases available to the Salve community.  

To view databases by subject, simply navigate to the "All Subjects" pull-menu.  See below.

A-Z Databases list screenshot

Basic and Advanced Searching in the Databases

Basic Searching

The most basic way to begin searching for articles is to place your search statement (see Creating Search Statements ) in the first box.  If you were interested in exploring how attitudes towards tattoos have evolved in America, you could start out by search "tattoo AND America." 

basic search in Academic Search Complete example

Advanced Searching

In addition to basic searching, you can also use advanced search features to create a more precise search.  You can use different  Boolean operators  to build your search string.  You can also utilize the "Select a Field" option to search by a range of fields including author, title, and journal name.

advanced search in databases screenshot

*Note: All pictured examples of database searching on this page are from Academic Search Complete, an interdisciplinary database that is managed by EBSCOhost.  Other databases will likely have similar features, but they will look a little different.

Finding Relevant Subject Terms

Like the library catalog, many databases will provide subject terms for specific resources.  These may be referred to under different terminology, including subjects, subject thesaurus terms, or thesaurus terms.  Subject terms are standardized words or phrases that describe the main idea of the source you are looking at.  These terms are hyperlinked in databases, so you can select them to have the database generate a new result list with other resources that share the same subject term.  Subject terms will vary from one database to another.  Likewise, they will probably be different from the subject terms in the library catalog.  As with your keywords, you should note any especially helpful subject terms as you conduct your research (as well as which database or search tool you found them in!).  

articles subject terms screenshot

Search for articles

Find Articles in Select Ebscohost Databases...

Google scholar: linking salve's resources to your google scholar account.

Google Scholar is a great tool for certain type of research questions that require journal articles. If you have a Google account you have a Google Scholar account. You can link this account to Salve's library to have your Google Scholar results directly link to the full-text of articles Salve subscribes to.

1. Sign into your Google account

2. Go to Google Scholar settings: https://scholar.google.com/scholar_preferences

3. Select “library links,” enter “Salve Regina” check “Salve Regina University Library – Find @ Salve,” and click Save.

research your article library

5. In the results, you'll see a "Find @ Salve" link to the right of the article. 

research your article library

Google Scholar does not include all of Salve’s article subscriptions in its results. If you don’t find your article there, search using the library’s journals button.

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How to Do Library Research

  • Starting Your Search

On This Guide

  • Navigating the Library
  • Choosing Where to Search

Start Your Search

Find articles, books and newspapers.

  • Using a Specific Database
  • Evaluating Your Sources
  • Citing Your Sources

Choose Your Keywords

Once you've made sure you understand your assignment and know your research topic, it's time to select your keywords. Certain words from your topic may not be relevant to the search, as demonstrated in the example below. You should only use the most important elements as keywords.

Example: Does exercise reduce BMI in overweight youth ?

Add Connectors

Since library databases work differently than Google, you may notice that putting a sentence or question into the Search Everything box on the library homepage doesn’t give you relevant results. Often called “Boolean operators,” connectors  AND ,  OR  and  NOT  will make the database search for your keywords in a specific way.

Tip! Capitalize connectors so the databases see them as connectors and not keywords to search.

Use Advanced Search Strategies

There are a few things you can do to help make your searches more precise and possibly retrieve more relevant results.

  • Example: "physical activity"  
  • Example: obes* will search for obese , obesity , etc. 
  • Example: (exercise OR "physical activity" OR movement)  

Build a Search Statement

Here is how you put it all together in a search statement:  (exercise OR "physical activity" OR movement) AND (obes* OR overweight) AND (youth OR pediatric OR child OR adolescent)

For information on how to limit your results to articles, eBooks or newspaper articles, watch the videos below.

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How to Start Your Research

  • Choose a Topic
  • Search Library Databases
  • Search the Library Catalog
  • Search Google
  • Stay Organized

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In This Section

In this section, you'll find advice on.

  • Choosing a topic
  • Doing some background reading
  • The difference between a topic, thesis, and research question

Start With What You Know

What are you curious about.

  • What do you still have questions about?
  • This might seem obvious, but your topic should interest you!

How can you contribute to the conversation?

  • Are there gaps in existing research?
  • Can you approach a topic from a new angle or perspective?

Picking a topic is research, too!

This video (3 minutes) describes the process of choosing and testing out a topic. See more tips below the video, too!

Do Some Background Reading

Reference sources are a great place to start when you're trying to choose or narrow a topic..

They'll help you learn the language of the topic you're interested in, and help you gather:

  • basic facts or established information on your topic
  • key concepts, terms, and people 
  • related topics and, often, suggested resources for learning more

Try these general reference sources to get started, and check out our  Research Guides  for subject-specific reference works.

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A reference source summarizes key facts, important figures, and major concepts of a topic and provides useful background information. Reference sources include dictionaries and encyclopedias and can be in print or online.

Topic vs. Thesis vs. Research Question

What's the difference between a topic, a thesis, and a research question.

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  • Last Updated: Dec 12, 2023 10:57 AM
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  • Background Information
  • Find Articles
  • Get the Full Text of a Journal Article
  • Why Can't I Find That Article?

Library Research Methods

  • Evaluating Websites
  • Citing Sources
  • Productivity Tools for Scholars

(Adapted from Thomas Mann, Library Research Models )

Keyword searches . Search relevant keywords in catalogs, indexes, search engines, and full-text resources. Useful both to narrow a search to the specific subject heading and to find sources not captured under a relevant subject heading. To search a database effectively, start with a Keyword search, find relevant records, and then find relevant Subject Headings. In search engines, include many keywords to narrow the search and carefully evaluate what you find.

Subject searches .  Subject Headings (sometimes called Descriptors) are specific terms or phrases used consistently by online or print indexes to describe what a book or journal article is about. This is true of the library’s Catalog as well as many other library databases . 

Look for recent, scholarly books and articles. Within catalogs and databases, sort by the most recent date and look for books from scholarly presses and articles from scholarly journals. The more recent the source, the more up-to-date the references and citations.

Citation searches in scholarly sources .  Track down references, footnotes, endnotes, citations, etc. within relevant readings. Search for specific books or journals in the library’s Catalog . This technique helps you become part of the scholarly conversation on a particular topic.

Searches through published bibliographies (including sets of footnotes in relevant subject documents).  Published bibliographies on particular subjects (Shakespeare, alcoholism, etc.) often list sources missed through other kinds of searches. BIBLIOGRAPHY is a subject heading in the Catalog , so a Guided Search with BIBLIOGRAPHY as a Subject and your topic as a keyword will help you find these.

Searches through people sources (whether by verbal contact, e-mail, etc.). People are often more willing to help than you might think. The people to start with are often professors with relevant knowledge or librarians.

Systematic browsing, especially of full-text sources arranged in predictable subject groupings . Libraries organize books by subject, with similar books shelved together.  Browsing the stacks is a good way to find similar books; however, in large libraries, some books are not in the main stacks (e.g., they might be checked out or in ReCAP), so use the catalog as well.

The advantages of trying all these research methods are that:

Each of these ways of searching is applicable in any subject area

None of them is confined exclusively to English-language sources

Each has both strengths and weaknesses, advantages and disadvantages

The weaknesses within any one method are balanced by the strengths of the others

The strength of each is precisely that it is capable of turning up information or knowledge records that cannot be found efficiently—or often even at all—by any of the others

How to Gut a (Scholarly) Book in 5 Almost-easy Steps

Evaluating sources.

From Wayne C. Booth et al., The Craft of Research , 4th ed., pp.76-79

5.4 EVALUATING SOURCES FOR RELEVANCE AND RELIABILITY When you start looking for sources, you’ll find more than you can use, so you must quickly evaluate their usefulness; use two criteria: relevance and reliability.

5.4.1 Evaluating Sources for Relevance

If your source is a book, do this:

  • Skim its index for your key words, then skim the pages on which those words occur.
  • Skim the first and last paragraphs in chapters that use a lot of your key words.
  • Skim prologues, introductions, summary chapters, and so on.
  • Skim the last chapter, especially the >rst and last two or three pages.
  • If the source is a collection of articles, skim the editor’s introduction.
  • Check the bibliography for titles relevant to your topic.

If your source is an article, do this:

  • Read the abstract, if it has one.
  • Skim the introduction and conclusion, or if they are not marked by headings, skim the first six or seven paragraphs and the last four or five.
  • Skim for section headings, and read the first and last paragraphs of those sections.

If your source is online, do this:

  • If it looks like a printed article, follow the steps for a journal article.
  • Skim sections labeled “introduction,” “overview,” “summary,” or the like. If there are none, look for a link labeled “About the Site” or something similar.
  • If the site has a link labeled “Site Map” or “Index,” check it for your key words and skim the referenced pages.
  • If the site has a “search” resource, type in your key words.

This kind of speedy reading can guide your own writing and revision. If you do not structure your report so your readers can skim it quickly and see the outlines of your argument, your report has a problem, an issue we discuss in chapters 12 and 14.

5.4.2 Evaluating Sources for Reliability You can’t judge a source until you read it, but there are signs of its reliability:

1. Is the source published or posted online by a reputable press? Most university presses are reliable, especially if you recognize the name of the university. Some commercial presses are reliable in some fields, such as Norton in literature, Ablex in sciences, or West in law. Be skeptical of a commercial book that makes sensational claims, even if its author has a PhD after his name. Be especially careful about sources on hotly contested social issues such as stem-cell research, gun control, and global warming. Many books and articles are published by individuals or organizations driven by ideology. Libraries often include them for the sake of coverage, but don’t assume they are reliable.

2. Was the book or article peer-reviewed? Most reputable presses and journals ask experts to review a book or article before it is published; it is called “peer review.” Many essay collections, however, are reviewed only by the named editor(s). Few commercial magazines use peer review. If a publication hasn’t been peer-reviewed, be suspicious.

3. Is the author a reputable scholar? This is hard to answer if you are new to a field. Most publications cite an author’s academic credentials; you can find more with a search engine. Most established scholars are reliable, but be cautious if the topic is a contested social issue such as gun control or abortion. Even reputable scholars can have axes to grind, especially if their research is financially supported by a special interest group. Go online to check out anyone an author thanks for support, including foundations that supported her work.

4. If the source is available only online, is it sponsored by a reputable organization? A Web site is only as reliable as its sponsor. You can usually trust one sponsored and maintained by a reputable organization. But if the site has not been updated recently, it may have been abandoned and is no longer endorsed by its sponsor. Some sites supported by individuals are reliable; most are not. Do a Web search for the name of the sponsor to find out more about it.

5. Is the source current? You must use up-to-date sources, but what counts as current depends on the field. In computer science, a journal article can be out-of-date in months; in the social sciences, ten years pushes the limit. Publications have a longer life in the humanities: in philosophy, primary sources are current for centuries, secondary ones for decades. In general, a source that sets out a major position or theory that other researchers accept will stay current longer than those that respond to or develop it. Assume that most textbooks are not current (except, of course, this one).

If you don’t know how to gauge currency in your field, look at the dates of articles in the works cited of a new book or article: you can cite works as old as the older ones in that list (but perhaps not as old as the oldest). Try to find a standard edition of primary works such as novels, plays, letters, and so on (it is usually not the most recent). Be sure that you consult the most recent edition of a secondary or tertiary source (researchers often change their views, even rejecting ones they espoused in earlier editions).

6. If the source is a book, does it have a notes and a bibliography? If not, be suspicious, because you have no way to follow up on anything the source claims.

7. If the source is a Web site, does it include bibliographical data? You cannot know how to judge the reliability of a site that does not indicate who sponsors and maintains it, who wrote what’s posted there, and when it was posted or last updated.

8. If the source is a Web site, does it approach its topic judiciously? Your readers are unlikely to trust a site that engages in heated advocacy, attacks those who disagree, makes wild claims, uses abusive language, or makes errors of spelling, punctuation, and grammar.

The following criteria are particularly important for advanced students:

9. If the source is a book, has it been well reviewed? Many fields have indexes to published reviews that tell you how others evaluate a source.

10. Has the source been frequently cited by others? You can roughly estimate how influential a source is by how often others cite it. To determine that, consult a citation index.

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  • Last Updated: Oct 17, 2023 3:09 PM
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Finding a Paper Topic

What are the blogs talking about, what current awareness sources should i know about, what's being discussed in the academic journals, what have other dissertations or papers covered, how do i find a faculty advisor, refining your topic, getting help, how to use this guide.

This guide is aimed at law students, primarily LL.M.s, beginning the process of finding and narrowing a topic for a research paper.

Paper topic ideas may come from your lectures or course readings. Topics might come from your previous studies, work history or life experience. But, sometimes your initial subject idea is too broad, or you are interested in multiple subject areas. This guide will walk you though sources which will help you gain a sense of legal developments (if any) on your subject. It will also list sources that help you begin to find the academic conversation happening on a topic.

By browsing, searching, and reading broadly in these sources, you will hopefully find a topic that is deeply interesting to you. Enough so that you will stay engaged and motivated during the entirety of the writing process.

For HLS LL.M.s, this guide will provide links to sources from the Graduate Program which will help you determine if your topic is sufficiently narrow. It concludes with suggestions about how to identify possible HLS faculty supervisors.

Once you have decided on your topic, it is an appropriate time to request a research consult with a librarian. They can assist you by identifying targeted research sources and search strategies.

Using Blogs for Paper Topics

Blogs can be helpful to see what is "hot" in a particular field of law on a more current basis than traditional scholarly sources such as books or law review articles. You can browse them by topic area or run searches for some of your initial ideas.

Blog/Blawg Directories

  • Justia's Blawg Search This is one of the largest aggregators of legal blogs. Browse by topic or search and reset the order of results by date to find the newest discussions.
  • Legal Blogs via Westlaw (HLS only) Westlaw provides searchable access to over 200 law-related blogs. Topics cover almost all areas of US law, international law, and good coverage of Canadian law.
  • Law Professor Blogs Network This is a collection of approximately 100 blogs authored by law professors.

Specialized News Databases

Legal news sites will alert you to interesting litigation and policy developments. Like browsing blogs, legal news sources can help you identify legal developments that might serve as a good topic.   

  • Lexis Legal News Hub (HLS only) Legal news from multiple publishers including Law360.
  • Law.com (HLS only) Very current, short news items about legal developments in law and the legal industry.
  • Bloomberg Law News and Topic Selection Page (HLS Only) This page links to Bloomberg news offerings, and uniquely, coverage of “circuit splits”. A circuit split is when federal appellate courts are reaching different outcomes on the same topic of law. Current circuit splits can make interesting paper topics.

Legal Updates from Law Firms

Law firms often post public entries of interest to potential clients. These marketing materials are usually well crafted and cover new developments. The following sites aggregate this content for collective searching.

  • vLex Justis current news The home screen offers a combination of news and updates from major law firms from LexBlog, JD Supra, and Mondaq. Use the International News option for coverage of 100 countries.

Google Scholar

Using Google can be a good starting point, but using Google Scholar is a more efficient way to find academic content. Even better, using Harvard Google Scholar will (usually) allow you to link through to content available to you through Harvard Library subscriptions.

  • Harvard Google Scholar Using Google Scholar with your HarvardKey allows you to make the most of provided links, granting access to full text available through Harvard Library subscriptions.
  • Google Alerts

Working Papers Repositories

After browsing widely through current awareness services for ideas, hopefully you’re starting to have a few possible topics. Digging into working papers is a good next step in comparing your topic options. Working paper repositories host collections of scholarly articles. They include those not yet published or in final form. The benefit of searching in working paper repositories is to gain a sense of the current academic conversation on a topic.

  • SSRN (Social Science Research Network) SSRN is one of the most heavily used working paper sites for law professors. It is a public site but using this Harvard-affiliated access through HOLLIS will allow you to set up an individual account and subscribe to email alerts.
  • Law Commons This open access working paper site is easy to browse by topic, author, and institutional affiliation.
  • NBER Working Papers The National Bureau of Economic Research hosts working papers related to finance, banking, and law and economics.
  • EconPapers (RePEc)
  • OSF Preprints Multidisciplinary repository more global in scope than those listed above.

Law Journal Articles

As you explore possible topics, beyond searching through current sources, it's important to explore the published literature on the topic. This is the stage where you are both refining your topic and beginning your research.

There are many sources to find law journal articles. Below are some of the main collections of legal literature and good starting points. Be aware that these collections are very large. Putting in one or two search terms may result in large result lists, so consider searching with multiple keywords, phrases, etc. For assistance with advanced search techniques, please Ask a Librarian .

  • Hein Online Law Journal Library (Harvard Key) Provides pdf format for law review articles in 3200 law journals. For most, coverage is from inception. Includes a good collection of non-U.S. journals.
  • Lexis+ Law Reviews and Journals (HLS Only)
  • Westlaw Law Reviews & Journals (HLS Only)
  • LegalTrac Topic Finder (HLS) LegalTrac is an index (descriptions of articles) and has some full text. It is included here for its topic finder tool which allows you to put in some general topics, and then refine the terms to generate a list of linked articles.

Academic Articles, Books and Book Chapters

It is beyond the scope of this guide to cover specialized sources for non-U.S. and International law and legal literature. Neither does this guide cover sources for law-related literature, such as the literature of political science, economics, gender studies, etc. To find academic journal content across disciplines, the best starting point is to use HOLLIS.

  • HOLLIS Catalog and Articles Beyond finding the books, ebooks, and journals owned by the Harvard Library system, using HOLLIS in its default mode (Catalog & Articles) allows you to find articles from many subscription sources. Before settling on a paper topic, running some searches in HOLLIS is a must.

Dissertations, Theses and Papers

As you refine your topic ideas, it is often helpful to browse the titles of dissertations and papers by SJDs, LLMs, or JD students, either generally, or those which touch on your subject area. This can help you understand how people have framed their research topic in a discrete, specific way. See additional sources for student-authored works in  HLS Dissertations, Theses and Third Year Papers .

  • HLS LL.M. Papers in HOLLIS To refine these search results by topic, faculty advisor, seminar or date, click Add a New Line.
  • HLS SJD Dissertations
  • Proquest Dissertations and Theses (Harvard Key) This database includes dissertations and theses from many academic institutions but has not included HLS SJD dissertations or LL.M. papers in recent years.

Tips on Finding a Faculty Advisor

LL.M. written work requires faculty supervision. The following sources will help you identify HLS faculty members by research interests. You can also view HOLLIS records of LL.M. papers to identify the HLS professors who supervised papers in your subject area.

  • HLS Faculty Directory The directory can be searched by keyword or filtered by area of interest and by categories of appointment. Directory pages usually include courses taught, publications, and research interest area. Note that some professors are here for only part of the year. Faculty supervisors must have a teaching appointment in the semester in which the paper is to be turned in.
  • HLS Course Catalog This is the best source to determine who is currently teaching in your topic subject area.
  • HLS Faculty Bibliography This is a collective list of publications of the HLS faculty covering recent years.
  • HLS Programs of Study Programs of study are course grouping suggestions for students who want to focus their academic and career development within a field of law. Each program lists HLS faculty members associated with that field of law.

Tips for Refining a Topic

As you’ve browsed blogs, news, law reviews and other LL.M. papers, you have hopefully arrived at some topic ideas that are original and will hold your continued interest as you write the paper. It is also important to refine your paper topic to a discrete, narrow idea. Resources to help you make sure your topic is sufficiently narrow are included in the HLS Graduate Program Writing Resources Canvas Site . See especially: 

  • The Six-Point Exercise in the module “Developing Your Proposal and Drafting Your Paper”
  • Worksheets for Senior Thesis Writers and Others in the module “Recommended Materials on Writing”
  • Archetypal Legal Scholarship: A Field Guide, 63 J. Legal Educ. 65 (2013) HLS Prof. Minow's article defines the different types of papers in the legal literature. It is helpful to read her framework as you finalize your paper topic.
  • Academic Legal Writing Law Review Articles, Student Notes, Seminar Papers, and Getting on Law Review UCLA Prof. Eugene Volokh's book is a good resource as you begin a writing project. Specifcally, the section on Choosing a Claim is worth scanning before finalizing your topic.
  • This publicly available excerpt from a prior edition of Volokh's book contains the chapter on Choosing a Claim. See the section beginning on page 25.

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Research Process

  • Brainstorming
  • Explore Google This link opens in a new window
  • Explore Web Resources
  • Explore Background Information
  • Explore Books
  • Explore Scholarly Articles
  • Narrowing a Topic
  • Primary and Secondary Resources
  • Academic, Popular & Trade Publications
  • Scholarly and Peer-Reviewed Journals
  • Grey Literature
  • Clinical Trials
  • Evidence Based Treatment
  • Scholarly Research
  • Database Research Log
  • Search Limits
  • Keyword Searching
  • Boolean Operators
  • Phrase Searching
  • Truncation & Wildcard Symbols
  • Proximity Searching
  • Field Codes
  • Subject Terms and Database Thesauri
  • Reading a Scientific Article
  • Website Evaluation
  • Article Keywords and Subject Terms
  • Cited References

Citing Articles

  • Related Results
  • Search Within Publication
  • Database Alerts & RSS Feeds
  • Personal Database Accounts
  • Persistent URLs
  • Literature Gap and Future Research
  • Web of Knowledge
  • Annual Reviews
  • Systematic Reviews & Meta-Analyses
  • Finding Seminal Works
  • Exhausting the Literature
  • Finding Dissertations
  • Researching Theoretical Frameworks
  • Research Methods & Design
  • Tests and Measurements
  • Organizing Research & Citations This link opens in a new window
  • Scholarly Publication
  • Learn the Library This link opens in a new window

Google Scholar Search

Google Scholar Search

  • Google Scholar A short video demonstration of using Google Scholar for academic research.
  • Google Scholar Cited By A short video demonstrating how to use the 'cited by' feature in Google Scholar to find citing publications.

Another resourceful method for uncovering similar resources is to take a look at the citing articles, or the articles which cited your original article. This can be an effective method particularly when you are looking for the latest research on your topic. You will be moving forward in time given that the citing articles are building off of the research established in your original article.

A number of Library databases will include hyperlinks to Citing Articles. Below is a comprehensive list of Library databases with accompanying screenshots which provide Cited By or Times Cited lists. Each individual reference will either have a PDF file available for immediate viewing or may feature our link resolver button, Article Linker.

Article Linker will connect you to the full text resource within another Library database if it is available. If Article Linker does not connect you to the full text, you may want to consider requesting the item through InterLibrary Loan .

For additional information, see the following:

  • Article Linker FAQ
  • Interlibrary Loan FAQs
  • Google Scholar

Google Scholar is a freely accessible web search engine that indexes the full text of scholarly literature across an array of publishing formats and disciplines.

To make searching in Google Scholar more effective, we recommend linking your Google Scholar account to NU Library. See our Google Scholar FAQ for instructions on how to do so.

Select the  Cited by  link under a Google Scholar search result to see newer sources of information that have cited the original resource:

Google Scholar screenshot with the "Cited by" link highlighted.

To learn more, see the quick tutorial below:

Use the following links to access additional information about using Google Scholar for research:

  • Google for School LibGuide
  • Google Scholar Cited By Quick Tutorial Video
  • Google Scholar FAQ

Citing Articles in Library Databases

  • SAGE Journals
  • ScienceDirect
  • Taylor & Francis

e-Book

Content: The Association of Computing Machinery database is a research, discovery and network platform. The database provides journals, conference proceedings, technical magazines, newsletters and books.

Purpose: An essential database computing and technology research topics.

Special Features: Provides a list of authors after an initial topic search, includes a dataset search filter, and the ability to sort results by most cited.

ACM Digital Library article record screen with the Cited By tab highlighted.

Content: Literature review database covering psychology, sociology, anthropology, environment and resources, law and social science, political science, and public health.  

Purpose: Provides articles that synthesize primary research and discuss the topic in historical context. Discover seminal works and literature gaps. 

Special Features: Multimedia and supplemental materials.

Annual Reviews article record screen with the "This Review is Cited By" link highlighted.

Content: One central search that contains all of NU's subscribed EBSCO databases.

Purpose: Search for articles from multiple disciplines with this collection of databases from EBSCO. 

Help using this database.

EBSCOhost Databases [not available in MEDLINE, OmniFile Full Text Select, or Regional Business News]

EBSCO search results screen with the "Times Cited in this Database" link highlighted.

Content: Full-text peer-reviewed journals, transactions, magazines, conference proceedings, and published standards in the areas of electrical engineering, computer science, and electronics.

Purpose: Users may learn about technology industry information

Special Features: Users may search datasets

To limit to full-text only, change the results from "All Results" to "My Subscribed Content".

IEEE search results screen with the Cited by area highlighted.

Content: Collection of more than 30 Proquest subject-specific databases covering Business, Health and Medical, Social Sciences, Education, Science and Technology, and Humanities.

Purpose: Students can view a massive amount of peer-reviewed research across multiple disciplines.

Special Features: Includes a Thesaurus feature that assists in using the database’s controlled vocabulary, as well as read-aloud feature.

ProQuest search results screen with the Cited by link highlighted.

Content: Scholarly, peer-reviewed journal articles only, in health science, biomedical science, engineering, social science, and the humanities. 

Purpose: Use for scholarly research in most fields. 

Special Features: Includes discipline hubs for browsing and citation search.

SAGE Journals Online will connect you to citing articles via Google Scholar. SAGE also allows you to set up an email alert whenever that article is cited.

SAGE Journals Online article record screen with the "Citing articles via Google Scholar" link highlighted.

Content: Elsevier’s science database covering computer science, health science, and social sciences. Contains peer-reviewed and open-access journal articles and book chapters.

Purpose: A great resource that covers foundational science to new and novel research.

Special Features: Covers theoretical and practical aspects of physical, life, health, and social sciences.

ScienceDirect article record screen with the Citing articles link highlighted.

Content: Scholarly, peer-reviewed journals covering all disciplines.

Special Features: Browse by topic or keyword search.

Citations are available from the article record page directly below the abstract.

Taylor & Francis article record screen with the Citations tab highlighted.

You can also view the most cited articles (within the last 3 years) for that journal using the navigation to the left of your article record page.

Taylor & Francis article record screen with the "Most cited articles" tab highlighted.

Content: Citations and articles in multi-disciplines not found through a NavigatorSearch.

Purpose: Used to conduct topic searches as well as find additional resources that have cited a specific resource (citation network).

Citing articles are available from the article record page to the right of the citation and abstract.

Web of Knowledge also allows you to set up a citation alert so that you are emailed whenever that article is cited. 

There is an additional feature available from Web of Knowledge that allows users to create Citation Reports . A Citation Report is a graphical representation that shows the citation relationships (cited references and citing articles) between a paper and other papers using various visualization tools and techniques. 

To run a citation report, click on the link that states the number of citations within the database searched. In the example below, the user would click on the link, 19 Times Cited. 

research your article library

Next, click on  Citation Report  within the results that appear. 

research your article library

This will generate a Citation Report using all the citations within the list. 

research your article library

Within the citation report, you can run more detailed analytics that provides data based on author, year, journal title, subject category, and more. Click on the purple Analyze Results button to the right to retrieve this analysis. The citation report and analytics can be useful for a number of reasons including seeing the impact your original article has over diverse multidisciplinary subject fields, seeing how widespread a paper has been distributed and read, and seeing which institutions cited and were cited by the original article.

research your article library

Content: Scholarly journals, e-books, and reference materials.

Purpose: Subject areas include Anthropology, Business, Economics, Finance, Geography, Family Studies, Law, Management, and Psychology.

Wiley Online Library article record screen with the Cited By tab highlighted.

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ITA 1111 - Dante's Inferno: Literature - Marra

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Selecting the best search scope for your research needs:

Everything vs. Library Catalog vs. Articles

For a more detailed explanation of your search scope options consult What am I searching?

History & Literature Databases

  • Historical Abstracts This link opens in a new window Index of academic historical journals on the history of the world (excluding the United States and Canada) from 1450 to the present, including world history, military history, women's history, history of education, etc. more... less... Coverage: 1955 to present. User Limit: 6.
  • MLA International Bibliography This link opens in a new window Subject indexing of journals, books, proceedings, and dissertations in the areas of literature, language and linguistics, folklore, film, literary theory & criticism, dramatic arts, and the historical aspects of printing and publishing. more... less... Coverage: 1926 to present.

General Databases

  • ProQuest This link opens in a new window Search all ProQuest databases simultaneously. Includes arts, humanities, social sciences, news, and science and technology.
  • JSTOR This link opens in a new window Large and important archive for academic journals, books, and primary sources in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences. Many journals do not have current issues.
  • WorldCat (FirstSearch) This link opens in a new window Catalog of books, manuscripts, websites, internet resources, maps, computer programs, musical scores, films, slides, newspapers, journals, magazines, sound recordings, articles, chapters, papers, and videotapes available at libraries worldwide. Cross-search OCLC databases: ArchiveGrid, ArticleFirst, Ebooks, ECO, ERIC, GPO, MEDLINE, OAIster, PapersFirst, ProceedingsFirst, WorldCat, and WorldCatDissertations. more... less... All current Vanderbilt University students, faculty, and staff have access, both on and off campus.

Find it at VU button

FindIt@VU provides direct links from a database citation to the fulltext of the article (if available) and other supporting resources.

Useful Library of Congress Subject Headings

Try a subject begins with search using one of the library of congress subject headings listed below:.

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PowerNotes: Organize and Write While You Research

research your article library

Date: Monday, February 26, 2024 Time: 1:00pm – 2:00pm Online via Zoom Register here.

The PowerNotes browser extension allows you to automatically capture text, take notes, and export citations in an outline format, all without ever leaving the article PDF or website you’re currently reading. Designed to seamlessly integrate research into writing, the outline you build in PowerNotes while researching can be exported into either a Word document or Excel file (perfect for those systematic review tables). This workshop will focus on learning the basics of PowerNotes, identifying ways that it can make your research and writing easier. It will also briefly touch on ways this tool can be used for instruction, helping guide your students through interaction with readings and source material.

For a complete list of library workshops, visit library.missouri.edu/workshops .

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You have exceeded your limit for simultaneous device logins.

Your current subscription allows you to be actively logged in on up to three (3) devices simultaneously. click on continue below to log out of other sessions and log in on this device., slj reviews abc-clio's asian american experience database.

research your article library

Part of ABC-CLIO’s The American Mosaic program, this platform offers primary sources, curriculum guides, and other tools for students and educators doing research on the Asian American experience. 

research your article library

URL www.abc-clio.com/asam-experience/

Grade Level   9 Up

Cost   The Asian American Experience is subscription-based with prices starting at $540 for a single-site purchase. Discount bundles are available for school districts. A free 30-day preview is available.

Content When users first open The Asian American Experience, part of ABC-CLIO’s The American Mosaic program, they will find a variety of search options. At the top, there is a classic simple search bar students can use to begin their research. There is also an option to use Advanced Search features that include a whole library of clickable options. 

Users can search by type of article (i.e., biography, time line), media (i.e., photos, maps, infographics), or document (i.e., speeches, letters, magazines).

Students can also search by time period and featured topics important to that era. For example, selecting the “Era of Exclusion 1860s-1900” would include both “The Road to Exclusion, 1860-1882,” and “Defining Citizenship and Identity, 1890s-1900s.” Users can narrow the search even further, by selecting each subset individually.

After choosing the desired options, ­users will be taken to a results page. ­Within the ­results page, they can reassess the filters, determine how many results per page, and choose how they would prefer the ­results sorted. 

Search results include the resource type, the time period, and a small description before users access a link. Sources, further reading, and an MLA citation are also provided. There are standard icons above every article with the options to save, email, print, link, cite, add, listen, and translate.

A topic library is presented on the left-hand navigation, which gives users easy access to reference articles, time lines, photos, infographics, and even more related content to their current article or topic. Sometimes, clicking a topic on the left-hand navigation will send users to that article on the main browser and other times it will pop up in a new window. If it is a highlighted, related article, it will appear in a new window, but if it is another type of resource it will load on the main browser.

Another option for searching on the main page is to explore already-curated time periods and browse through ­corresponding topics. 

With the focus on Asian American experience, this database features articles about the connections between those of Asian descent and Western countries, especially the United States. Europe is mentioned only as it impacted Asian people to in their access to resources and immigration to the U.S.

At the end of each article, a link is provided with a short biography of the author. Most of the authors are experts in their fields, though those with specific specialties offer more nuanced essays. Some ­pieces are better at centering Asian American perspective than others. 

Student and Teacher Resources Users can find curriculum guides on the left-hand navigation, which provides key questions and research lists on various articles that can support educators within their curriculum. 

Users can also create their own resource lists by clicking the Add tab on the top navigation panel. They can keep adding articles to their resource list for further evaluation. There are also a handful of resource lists already included.

An Academic Success Corner is also featured, which reviews basic research skills. This includes tutorials supporting the research process, reading skills, and note-taking skills. It also reviews topics in Information Literacy and includes an option to ask a librarian or cybrarian for support.

Each entry has a built-in citation ­option at the bottom of the page in addition to the citation option on the top navigation bar. Students can cite images, graphs, and more. This is extremely useful for those ­accessing resources and reinforces the need for citing sources. It’s an excellent addition to support student research skills and ­learning.

Users will find CLIOview a helpful ­feature that compares the statistics of a group of states across various areas, such as population, health, military, and ­citizenship indicators.

Educators are given examples of activities that can inspire inquiry and engagement, including sample articles, worksheets, and guiding questions.

Verdict The Asian American Experience features a vast array of articles in a multitude of formats and media. Students can easily find articles using the Topic Library. The formatting and navigation are intuitive for users, and the composition of articles is excellent. There is a comprehensive store of primary sources to enhance student analysis and critical thinking. Articles are U.S. history–centered, so language and perspective skew toward the Western Hemisphere, but still this still provides more articles on the Asian American experience than most resources. A useful and promising addition to any U.S. history collection.

Kristyn Dorfman, Friends Academy, NY

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  • Free Webinar Series: 12 Months to Better Library Data

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Featuring curriculum from the RIPL 2023 national event as well as a few new topics, RIPL’s curriculum is based on the steps involved in conducting an evaluation: i dentify the purpose of your evaluation, p lan your evaluation, c ollect data, a nalyze data, and u se  data – for management, program improvement, strategic planning, and advocacy

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During the second quarter, sessions will focus on collecting  and  analyzing   data . The third quarter will address using data for decision-making, program improvement, and advocacy.  Finally, during the fourth quarter, we will consider how to develop a data-informed culture in your library, and will discuss the competing needs of patron privacy vs. using data to guide service design and delivery. Dates and more information about the second, third, and fourth quarter webinars will be available soon.

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  1. Articles & Databases

    From primary sources to scholarly articles, start your research with resources chosen by our expert librarians. Homework Help Discover the wide range of learning resources the Library has to offer students of all ages, from chemistry and history to English and math. Newspapers and Magazines

  2. How to Find Sources

    Your institution's library may have access to a range of academic databases and journals that are behind paywalls. Consult the library's website to see if they have memberships with any journals relevant to your research. Google Scholar

  3. Library Research at Cornell: Find Articles

    If you want articles from scholarly, research, peer-reviewed journals, ask a reference librarian to recommend an index/database for your topic. Some databases index journals exclusively, like America: History and Life, EconLit, Engineering Village, MLA Bibliography, PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science.

  4. Wiley Online Library

    Wiley Online Library | Scientific research articles, journals, books, and reference works Accelerating research discovery to shape a better future Today's research, tomorrow's innovation Advanced Search 1,600+ Journals 250+ Reference Works 22,000+ Online Books Resources Researchers Register online Access options Find training and resources

  5. Finding Articles

    You can use UC Library Search on the Library homepage to search across various book and article databases simultaneously. To find the best resources for your topic, you might want to go directly to a specific database. Find the best database (s) for your research topic:

  6. Finding Scholarly Articles: Home

    To search for scholarly articles in HOLLIS, type your keywords in the box at the top, and select Catalog&Articles from the choices that appear next. On the search results screen, look for the Show Only section on the right and click on Peer-reviewed articles. (Make sure to login in with your HarvardKey to get full-text of the articles that ...

  7. How to Conduct Library Research Effectively: A Guide

    Library research is a vital skill for anyone who wants to explore a topic, find reliable sources, and present credible arguments. However, library research is not just about browsing books...

  8. Finding Articles & Journals

    Need articles for your library research project, but not sure where to start? We recommend these top ten article databases for kicking off your research. If you can't find what you need searching in one of these top ten databases, browse the list of all library databases by subject (academic discipline) or title. U-M Library Articles Search

  9. Find Articles

    Below are 4 top strategies to narrow your search: Use AND between keywords to find articles where two or more keywords appear together; Use the filters / limiters in the search interface to narrow your search results to a specific date range or resource type (format: book, journal article, news article, etc.); Add a Subject Term (found in a database's Index or Thesaurus) to your search to find ...

  10. Getting Started with Library Research

    The Library is the top resource when it comes to locating and accessing research materials. Use the library catalog to find materials such as books, music, videos, journals, and audio recordings in our collections.; Search databases to find articles, book chapters, and other sources within a specific subject area or discipline.; For materials the Library does not own, use BorrowDirect or ...

  11. Library Search

    Temple University homepage. Temple University Libraries 1900 N. 13th Street Philadelphia, PA 19122 (215) 204-8212. Frequently Called Numbers. Staff Directory. Library Organizational Charts. Staff Forms. Temple Libraries' official online search tool for books, media, journals, databases, government documents and more.

  12. Finding scholarly, peer reviewed articles

    In Library Search, you can refine your results to peer-reviewed articles by selecting two filters. Under "Availability," choose "Peer-reviewed Journals." Under "Resource Type," choose "Articles." If you plan to do multiple searches, be sure to click the lock icon that says "Remember all filters" underneath "Active Filters" at the top.

  13. Find Sources through the Library

    Start Your Research WHY START WITH LIBRARY SEARCH? Library Search Is a search platform with ONLINE TEXTS (and print ones as well) Covers a broad range of research TOPICS It includes academic and other sources TYPES relevant to the needs of researchers Has FILTERS that make sorting through sources convenient and easy!

  14. Subject Guides: How To Do Library Research: Introduction

    Welcome. Welcome to the How To Do Library Research guide! Use the menu on the left to get research advice that will help you successfully navigate the Libraries' print and electronic collections. If you're new to the Libraries, you may want to visit our Services for Undergrads page or Services for Grad Students page to learn about the library ...

  15. How to Do Library Research

    To do a subject search, type in your topic. Then click on "subject.". You will get a list of all the books in the library on your topic, including the title, author, and call number for each book. The call number is important because the books are placed on the shelves in numerical order according to call number.

  16. Research Guides: *Get Started with Research*: Find Articles

    Google Scholar is a great tool for certain type of research questions that require journal articles. If you have a Google account you have a Google Scholar account. You can link this account to Salve's library to have your Google Scholar results directly link to the full-text of articles Salve subscribes to. Steps: 1. Sign into your Google ...

  17. Find articles

    I am looking for... Search tool An article on a subject... //--> //--> Or search a database directly... See all research databases A specific article... Use Library One Search when you only know the article title. Use citation linker, when you already know the article title, journal, issue, etc., and just need to find the full-text. Use the DOI Resolver to locate the full text if you know the ...

  18. Home: How to Do Library Research: Starting Your Search

    Add Connectors. Since library databases work differently than Google, you may notice that putting a sentence or question into the Search Everything box on the library homepage doesn't give you relevant results. Often called "Boolean operators," connectors AND , OR and NOT will make the database search for your keywords in a specific way ...

  19. Homepage

    Homepage | Your Article Library Endless Possibilities! Share your Knowledge On Almost Anything! For Private Use Only! Share files on: Practice exams, Problem Sets, Syllabi, Flashcards, Class notes and Study guides, Presentations, research papers, essays, letters, stories, poetries, biographies, notes, reviews, and more Select File to Upload & Share

  20. Library Guides: How to Start Your Research: Choose a Topic

    Reference sources are a great place to start when you're trying to choose or narrow a topic. They'll help you learn the language of the topic you're interested in, and help you gather: basic facts or established information on your topic. key concepts, terms, and people. related topics and, often, suggested resources for learning more.

  21. Library Research Methods

    5.4.1 Evaluating Sources for Relevance. If your source is a book, do this: Skim its index for your key words, then skim the pages on which those words occur. Skim the first and last paragraphs in chapters that use a lot of your key words. Skim prologues, introductions, summary chapters, and so on.

  22. Home

    This guide is aimed at law students, primarily LL.M.s, beginning the process of finding and narrowing a topic for a research paper. Paper topic ideas may come from your lectures or course readings. Topics might come from your previous studies, work history or life experience.

  23. Citing Articles

    Citing Articles in Library Databases. Content: The Association of Computing Machinery database is a research, discovery and network platform. The database provides journals, conference proceedings, technical magazines, newsletters and books. Purpose: An essential database computing and technology research topics.

  24. Finding Books, Articles & More!

    A great option when you are just beginning your research process. Use Everything when you want to survey the research landscape for your topic. Library Catalog. Focuses on VU owned items, physical and digital. Results will include books and ebooks, and media like DVDs. Digital collections like the TV News Archive will also be included in your ...

  25. PowerNotes: Organize and Write While You Research

    Time: 1:00pm - 2:00pm. Online via Zoom. Register here. The PowerNotes browser extension allows you to automatically capture text, take notes, and export citations in an outline format, all without ever leaving the article PDF or website you're currently reading. Designed to seamlessly integrate research into writing, the outline you build ...

  26. SLJ Reviews ABC-CLIO's Asian American Experience Database

    Students can easily find articles using the Topic Library. The formatting and navigation are intuitive for users, and the composition of articles is excellent. ... Full, searchable archives of more than 300,000 reviews and thousands of articles. Research reports, data analysis, white papers, and expert opinion. New Password Show. Confirm ...

  27. 22% Record Efficiency in Nanorod Light ...

    Research Article. 22% Record Efficiency in Nanorod Light-Emitting Diodes Achieved by Gradient Shells ... Use the link below to share a full-text version of this article with your friends and colleagues. Learn more. Copy URL. ... 10 minutes, your email address may not be registered, and you may need to create a new Wiley Online Library account ...

  28. Legislative Reference Library of Texas: Current Articles & Research

    Current Articles & Research Resources, February 22, 2024. In this weekly post, we feature helpful research tools and recent articles of interest to the legislative community. Learn what some misleading language on food labels really means. (Consumer Reports, February 17, 2024) Consider how the way tech gadget batteries are charged impacts their ...

  29. Free Webinar Series: 12 Months to Better Library Data

    Check out this free webinar series, " 12 Months to Better Library Data", offered by the Research Institute for Public Libraries! Featuring curriculum from the RIPL 2023 national event as well as a few new topics, RIPL's curriculum is based on the steps involved in conducting an evaluation: identify the purpose of your evaluation, plan ...