Mount Aloysius College LibraryMount Aloysius College Library

Finding & Locating Articles  

Locating relevant articles from journals, magazines or newspapers (periodicals) for a research paper is usually a two-step process.

1. Searching

The first step in locating articles on a specific topic is to search in an electronic database or, for older articles, in a paper index.

It is important to select the correct database for the topic.  Brief descriptions of each database can be found on the database page by clicking on "All Databases."

While the basic principles of searching are the same from one database to another, the search interfaces can vary greatly between databases.  Most databases have either online tutorials or help sections.

Additionally, instructors often provide students with citations to specific articles that are either required or suggested reading for a course.

Other sources for citations include reference lists at the end of other articles or a bibliography from a book or course syllabus.

2. Locating

Periodicals are located in a variety of places in the library.  They are also available in a variety of formats.  Each individual publication is available for a specific range of dates.

Many periodicals are available full-text in electronic databases.  Articles from them can be printed at the same time that a search is conducted.

Not all periodicals, nor all the articles in a particular title, are available full-text in databases.  In some cases only the citation and abstract are provided in the database.  The article itself must be located elsewhere.

The most important tool to use in determining the availability of periodicals is Journal Finder, which is searched by the periodical name, not the article title.

Journal Finder will list the availability of a particular publication either in the holdings of Mount Aloysius College or in any of the other electronic databases available through the database page.

If the desired article is not available in either this Library's holdings or in another database, it may be ordered through Interlibrary Loan.