Finding Articles using the SPU Library Databases

If you have questions about or problems with accessing articles, email me or use the Ask A Librarian service

Your instructor wants you to find articles. Why?                                        

  Here are some reasons:

• Articles provide current information on a topic.
• Articles cover specific topics in depth
• Articles can give a scholarly treatment of a subject
• Articles can give a popular treatment of a complicated issue

Where are the articles?

Articles are published in newspapers, magazines, and journals. Many of these publications have online components. However, most of the time it will cost you in some way to use the online version.

The SPU Library has already paid for you to get access on and off campus to the full-text of thousands of newspapers, magazines, and journals. Check with the library before you pay for any online article.

Searching the databases is not the same as searching the Internet!

The databases are web-based, but they are closed systems.

Google and other search engines cannot get into our databases.

We have linked Google Scholar to our databases so the results will indicate if you can get the full-text through the Library, but you must access Google Scholar through our databases page to activate this feature. (more on this)

Here's what you do:

Go to the Library's databases page (Opens in a new window: http://www.spu.edu/depts/library/databases/)

Choose a database (more on this)

Brainstorm some keywords (more on this)

Search (more on this)

Review your results (more on this)

Find the full-text (more on this)

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Created June 2007 Last updated October 2008