Depending on the database you are using, articles may be displayed in different formats:

• Index: Includes only the article citation (i.e., author, title, date, etc.). Neither a summary, nor the full-text of the article are available.
• Abstract: Includes the citation and a summary of the article's content. It does not include the full-text article.
• Full-text: Includes the citation and full-text article. This may be in HTML, .pdf, or both formats.

For access to the full-text of an article (either in print or online), look for and click on the icon. This will open another window indicating where and how we may have access through Hekman Library.

When searching for scholarly journal articles, first try the library's Research Databases. If you would like to expand your search, or prefer to use a familiar interface, you might try Google Scholar:

Article databases provide you with 24-7 access to magazine, journal and newspaper articles. To help you identify the most appropriate database for your research topic:

• consult the Database by Subject guide, and/or
• see if there is a Subject Guide on your topic. Relevant databases are listed on the Articles tab.

For more help, check out our Journal Articles and Databases Guide.

Posted with permission from North Carolina State University Libraries.

Research databases use controlled vocabularies for subject searching. Sometimes these terms are called "descriptors."

• Keyword searching is a good way to start searching a database. Look at the full record and note the subject terms or descriptors assigned to the article when you find something on your topic.
• Use these terms for a subject search to find other articles on your topic.
• Research databases are quite sophisticated and have a variety of fields that can be used for searching. Many allow you to limit your searches to peer-reviewed journals, for example.
• Watch for special features such as:
  • An option to mark articles and then email or print a list of marked records to yourself.
  • Citation help. (Many will now automatically generate the citation for you).

Open source journals provide unrestricted, free access via the Internet to peer-reviewed scholarly journal articles.

Want to make sure your articles are from academic journals?  Check out our guide for finding Scholarly and Peer-Reviewed Articles.