Selecting the Best Database to find an Article
If you want to search for articles on a topic, start by using one of the Library's research databases. Research databases generally cover a major subject area or discipline. Consider the subject of your topic and look at the list of "Databases by Categories" for some relevant databases and select one. You may have to use more than one database in your research.
Finding Articles - Search Steps
- Once you are at the search screen of the database, select basic or advanced searching and note the other options for limiting or refining your search (by dates, languages, full-text, scholarly or peer-reviewed or refereed)
- Use the database's Help button to learn how to truncate words and use wildcard symbols for variant spellings. These will help to make your searches more comprehensive
- Separate your topic into keywords that you can use as your search terms
- No phrases: Do not type in "the effects of tv violence on children".
- Use separate concepts - television or tv, violence, children or adolescents
- Enter your search term using one or more of the following boolean operators
- Use AND if you want articles that include information about both terms:
television AND violence
- Use OR if you want to include information about either term. This will let you find alternate concepts in the results:
teenagers or adolescents or youth
- Use parentheses to group similar terms or concepts:
(television AND violence) AND (teenagers or adolescents or youth)
- Click on the search or find or browse buttons
- From the result list, pick one or more articles that look good for your topic.
Getting Articles - Steps
- Mark or Check the box next to the title or write down the citations. Marked citations can be printed, emailed, or stored in a citation manager like Refworks.
If you write the citations make sure you have the following info:
title of the journal, volume and issue number, pages of the article
- Go to the library's catalog
- Type in the name of the journal (ex. Journal of Social Psychology)
- Click the Begins with radio button and then click the Periodical Title button.
- In the list that appears, if there is a match, note which library owns the journal.
- Click on the VIEW button for the journal that you need and then on the Item Information tab in the resulting catalog record.
- Scroll to find the list of issues owned and their locations. Note the format (print, online, microfilm) and the call number.
- If the journal or articles from the journal are availble in fulltext to W&M , there will be an "Electronic Access" link in the catalog record. Click the link to go to the fulltext online material. You may have to search for the appropriate volume and issue of the journal.
- If the journal is in print format only, note the call number, location and go and get the journal.
Online/Electronic Journals
- You can check the ELECTRONIC JOURNAL LIST to see if a journal is available online - just type in the journal name in the search box.
- Electronic Journal collections often have a search by topic capability as well - as a group, or on a journal by journal basis. Keep in mind that you are searching within a special group of publications, such as publications from only one publisher. You are not comprehensively searching the literature of the field using this approach.
- Examples of these collections are JSTOR, Science Direct, Oxford University Press Journals, and the ACM Digital Library.
Can't Find the Articles You Need?
Not Enough?
- If there are not enough articles, look at the results list in the database, view one of the good articles, and look at the full record to see the subject headings or descriptors. Using these terms in a new search may help to locate additional relevant articles.
- If you need more articles, repeat the search steps in another research database. Have a look at the "Databases by Categories" group for a list of additional databases to try.
- If you are not getting the results you had hoped for, check out your options with a Reference Librarian. There may be some other databases or search strategies that will be recommended for your topic.
Need older historical sources?
- For older material (usually pre-1980), and in certain subject areas, printed indexes are still the only way to locate referenes to the literature.
- Have a look at the Subject Guides as they often identify the major print indexes for a discipline.
- Reference librarians are the best consultants to use - check in person or use the Ask-A-Librarian Services.
You need an article from a specific journal- How do you do this?
Do you have the basic info on the article - author, article title, journal name, date, volume, page?
- If Yes, then go to the library catalog, type in the name of the journal, select the "Begins with" radio button and then click on the "Periodical title" button.
- Print based Journal- get the call number, locate the floor it is on, and get the journal.
- Online Journal - click on the "Electronic Access" link from the catalog record to get to the the journal. You may have to search for the appropriate volume and issue of the journal.
- If No- Read the next section.
Looking for an article on a specific topic from a specific journal?
You will need to identify what database(s) cover the content of the journal so you can search and identify the relevant articles. Follow the steps in the next section.
Identifying which database covers a journal
- Use Ulrich's Periodicals Directory (Opens in a new window)
- Choose Title Exact and enter the name of the journal
- Click on the Document Access tab
- Look at the Abstracting & Indexing Services field
- A list of databases will be given. Check the database names against the Swem list of databases.
- Choose one of the matching databases from the Swem list and start a search by topic or keyword. The database may or may not let you limit to a particular journal name. Use this function if available. If not, do a keyword search and scan for results in the desired journal.
You have a journal abbreviation - how to find the full title?
- If you have used a research database to identify articles, try All that JAS: Journal Abbreviation Sources and see if the research database is listed and follow the link.
- An alternative source is Periodical Title Abbreviations (Swem REF Z6945 A2P47) located at the Reference desk.
- If you are using a print index, check the front of the index for a list of the titles.
- If you still have problems after looking at the above sources, check with the Reference staff in person, or call 221-3067, IM (AIM: swemrefdesk), or email for clarification.
Can't read those call numbers?
These aren't Dewey! Check this site out for an explanation.
Where are the journals located?
Stacks: Journals in print format are shelved with books by their call number. Check the floor plans to see where the call numbers are located.
Microforms: Microfilm or Microfiche cabinets, ask at Reference.
Internet: May be available online, click on the link from the record in the library catalog.
Off-Site: Journals stored at the Swem Off-Site Stacks (SOSS) can be retrieved for you, generally within 48 hours. You may request these items electronically through the library catalog. Search for the item you need; if its location is BY REQUEST, click on REQUEST and fill in the form. You may also fill out a paper request form at the Circulation Desk. You will be notified when the materials you requested have arrived. You may also check the "My Account" section of the library website for the status of your Off-Site Stacks requests.
Archives or Special Collections: call (757) 253-4841
Current Periodical Shelves: newest issues of selected journals. On the second floor.
Reference: ask athe the Reference desk.
Serials Office: ask at the Reference desk.
Journals you need not available at Swem Library?
If the journal you need is not in the W&M collections, request an interlibrary loan. We'll find out who has the journal and get a copy of the article for you.
Info on finding books step by step.
How to tell the difference between academic and popular journals.
