Beginner's Guide to Finding Articles in the SU Library
- How do I find out what articles have been published on my topic?
- I have a list of citations to articles that I need. How can I find out if they are online?
- I didn't find all the publications I wanted via Find Journals. Where else could they be?
- Where do you keep your newspapers and journals?
- Can I check journals, magazines, newspapers or periodicals out of the Library ?
- What if the Library doesn't have the journal I need?
- Glossary of Terms used on this page
1. How do I find out what articles have been published on my topic?
To begin searching for articles on your topic, you can use an online database. Many databases allow you to search numerous journals, magazines, newspapers and other materials all in one search. The S.U. Library subscribes to hundreds of online databases, which you can access on campus or off campus with your SU NetID.
Many databases include full text articles online, while others provide only brief citations and summaries ("abstracts") of articles. If you identify a brief citation only for an article you want, you can determine if that full journal article is available by checking the journal title using S.U. Library's "Find Ejournals" link (See #2), or by using the SUMMIT Catalog to find a print copy of that journal on the shelf in the Library (See #3). If the brief citation you view includes an adjacent symbol that says "SULinks," clicking on that is a shortcut to both Ejournal holdings and to the SUMMIT Catalog, intended to help you track down an article's full-text.
Many databases focus on a particular subject, while others are more general & interdisciplinary. Three helpful general databases that include full text (news, magazine and peer-reviewed journal) articles are:
Proquest Research Library
Wilson Full Text (OmniFile)
It is often helpful to ask your professor or a librarian for advice on which databases to use for your topic. You may also wish to browse descriptions of the available online databases via the Databases Main Menu.
It is also important to use more specific search strategies for databases than you would use for a general Internet search engine like Google or Yahoo. You may ask a librarian for help with search strategies, such as choosing keywords; subject versus keyword searching; using AND, OR, NOT; and more. Reviewing help menus in individual databases is also an effective way to sharpen your skill level for employing these search strategies.
2. I have a list of citations to articles I need. How can I find out if they are online?
This link will open the SU Library home page in a new window, so that you can toggle between windows to follow these steps.
On the Library homepage, click Find E-Journals.
Enter the title of the publication (journal title) in which your journal article is found (not the title of the article).
Do not include the volume, issue, or page numbers.
Click your publication/journal title if it appears while you are typing, or click Go. This will lead you to a listing of online database(s) that include full-text articles from your publication/journal title. The dates included for each database are listed. If your publication/journal title does not appear, skip to #3.
Look at your citation to see if the date of your article is included in date ranges associated with one or more of the databases.
If so, click the link for that journal title/publication. If not, skip to #3.
A window pops up in which you can enter your citation information.
Click Go.
A window may open directly to your article, or to a table of contents that includes your article's title or, in a few cases, a window may open to a database search engine where you can search for your article using keywords from its title, author, etc. Librarians are here to help, so please Ask Us for help as needed or use each database's help menu.
3. I didn't find all the publications I wanted via the Find E-Journals link. Where else could they be?
The SUMMIT Catalog will tell you if the Library has print editions of your publication/journal title. Occasionally, the SUMMIT Catalog will also have a link to electronic versions of that journal title.
This link will open the SU Library home page in a new window, so that you can toggle between windows to follow these steps.
On the Library homepage, click Find Books.
Choose Journal Title in the Search by box.
Enter the title of the publication/journal title in which your article is found (not the title of the article). If your publication title starts with the words A, An, or The, omit that initial word from your data entry (e.g., The Journal of Applied Behavioral Science is entered as Journal of Applied Behavioral Science).
If your publication/journal title does not appear, go to #6 to learn about interlibrary loan ("Illiad").
If a list of titles appears, try each link corresponding to the title of your publication/journal title until you locate a SUMMIT record with a date covering the date your article was published. If you check all the links corresponding to your publication/journal title and your article's date is not covered, then go to #6 to learn about interlibrary loan ("Illiad").
If/when you identify the SUMMIT record for your publication/journal title (corresponding to your article's publication date), print out or write down the location and call number associated with that publication/journal title. Take that information and your article citation with you to locate the item in the library.
If you have trouble finding the article, ask us for help, at any service desk or online.
In some cases, SUMMIT Catalog may link to your publication online. When this is the case, you will see a red arrow that says "Get it" next to a link called "Electronic resource".
4. Where do you keep your newspapers and journals?
You may browse through entire issues of newspapers and journals at the locations explained here. If you prefer to search online by keyword or subject within numerous journals, magazines, newspapers and other materials all in one search, see #1 for information about databases.
5. Can I check journals, magazines, newspapers or periodicals out of the Library?
No, these do not circulate. You may photocopy the articles you need. Copiers are located at several library locations. Copy cards may be purchased from card machines located on the first floor of E.S. Bird Library and the Science and Technology Library (1st floor Carnegie), and F. Franklin Moon Library (SUNY- ESF).
6. What if the Library doesn't have the journal I need?
If the Syracuse University Library does not subscribe to the journal you need, you may place an Interlibrary Loan Request for the article. Be sure to check Find Journals (See #2) and the SUMMIT Catalog (See #3) before using interlibrary loan. See the publication Obtaining Materials Not Found in the Syracuse University Library for more information, or go directly to the Interlibrary Loan service to place a request.
Still Need Additional Help? > Ask Us
Citation: Includes the article title, author, journal title, issue, date, page(s), and other information relevant to locating a copy of the article.
Online Database: An electronic search tool to help you locate references to, and often the full-text of, journal, magazine and newspaper articles.
Full Text: The entire text of the article (may or may not include graphics, charts, etc.).
Interlibrary Loan: A service by which you can order articles not owned by the SU Library for little or no cost.
Periodicals: Items published on a regular basis (e.g., magazines, journals, newspapers).
