Finding Scholarly Articles Databases

Module 10: The Research Process—Finding and Evaluating Sources

finding Scholarly Articles

Learning Objectives

  • Examine ways to find scholarly articles and books using library databases and catalogs.

Finding Books

  • Scholarly articles are often found in journals that compile several peer-reviewed articles on similar topics.

  • Types of Information Sources:

    • Articles, books, and periodicals (like magazines, journals, and newspapers).

  • Books are essential for synthesizing information on one topic to support a particular argument or thesis.

  • Books are beneficial when a comprehensive overview or context on a topic is needed.

  • To find books:

    • Use the library catalog, which is typically the main search bar on the library homepage.

    • The catalog includes:

    • Books

    • Reference books

    • Media

    • Maps

    • Titles of periodicals

    • Note: The catalog does not find articles within periodicals and journals.

Understanding Call Numbers

  • Call numbers help locate books and are arranged in alphanumeric order based on:

    • Subject

    • Author's last name

    • Publication date

  • Library Classification Systems:

    • Many academic libraries use the Library of Congress Classification.

    • Others may use the Dewey Decimal System.

Example: Finding Books Using Call Number

  • Book Title: Cyberspace Romance: The Psychology of Online Relationships by Monica Whitty and Adrian Carr

  • Call Number: HQ 801.82 .W55 2006

    • Breakdown of the call number:

    • HQ: Subclass related to The Family, Marriage, Women

    • 801.82: Refers to Man-Woman relationships, Courtship, Dating

    • W: First author’s last name, “Whitty”

    • 2006: Year of publication

Finding Articles in Databases

  • To find scholarly articles, utilize academic databases.

  • A research database allows searching through millions of articles across thousands of academic journals.

Types of Databases

  • General Databases:

    • Examples include Google Scholar, library articles search, JSTOR.

    • Suitable for initial searches across varied topics.

    • Large volumes of search results can sometimes be overwhelming.

  • Specialized Databases:

    • Allow targeted searches in specific subject areas (e.g., engineering, medicine) or formats (e.g., books, articles) or date ranges.

    • Contain materials not indexed by general search engines like Google or Bing.

Searching Article Databases

  • Your library will often feature an “article search” or “database search” link.

  • Results List Contains:

    • Citations for various sources, which might also include citations for book chapters or entire books.

  • Citation Components:

    • Title of the article

    • Author

    • Journal title

    • Volume and issue number

    • Date of publication

    • Page numbers

  • Accessing Articles:

    • Typically, links below citations allow viewing the article's text, or you may be directed by the library to access the article's location.

Finding Sources from Sources

  • Every source leads to additional sources worth exploring, functioning like a treasure map.

  • Skills in tracking these sources help discern ongoing scholarly conversations and trends.

Searching Mechanisms

  1. Forward Searching:

    • Use the “cited by” feature in databases like Google Scholar to find subsequent works that reference your source.

  2. Backward Searching:

    • Examine the bibliography of your current source for prior studies and references.

  3. Side Searching:

    • Collect keywords or terms from the source to find related works and evidence.

    • Investigate headings, methods, and terminology in the source.

Using Keywords and Similar Subjects

  • Scholarly articles often include keywords chosen by the author and subject terms identified by the database.

  • If reading a book:

    • Utilize the book’s call number to find it in the library stacks, where similar subjects may be shelved nearby.

    • Visit the book’s record in the library catalog to use its assigned subjects to find related books.

Read the Bibliography

  • Assessing the Works Cited page can reveal other relevant reading and sources.

Search by Author

  • Academic authors often publish multiple works on related topics; input the author’s name in a database or Google Scholar for comprehensive research on their contributions.

Example of a Scholarly Dialogue

  • Scenario: Marvin seeks information about bottled water.

  • Wikipedia Reference:

    • Although inconsistent, Wikipedia can provide initial background information and connections to more authoritative sources.

    • Encountered mentions of studies by the National Resources Defense Council and the Drinking Water Research Foundation.

  • Follow-Up Action:

    • Marvin checks sources and databases for health professionals and uses CINAHL to locate relevant articles such as “Health Risks and Benefits of Bottled Water.”

  • Insight from the Professor:

    • Knowledge gained from specialized sources might be more detailed, reflecting specialized academic discussions.