How To Find an Article
and other materials in databases

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(Click the ASK! button above to ask a question about finding an article.)

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Begin by choosing an article database appropriate to your subject. For many first year projects the list given on Try These First is the best place to start. For a paper or project in your major or discipline, check out the Find Articles by Subject list. If you know the name of the article database you wish to search, you can find it on the E-Resources List (A-Z). If you'd like to know more about the database, go to Descriptions.

Note: On each of these lists the mark indicates an article database, an indicates full text, and the will lead you to a description of the database.

Search Tips:
Once you have chosen and entered your database, finding the best articles on your topic requires a number of steps:

• Enter and combine terms appropriate to your topic;
• Look at the best references you retrieve and determine the subject terms used for those articles. Then revise your search using these new terms.
• Write down or print all pertinent information (called the 'citation') including the journal title, volume, date, and page numbers.

Explore other databases and subject terms (which vary between databases) for more information.

Get the full text:
Once you find the citation, you may find the full text linked from the database. If not, finding the complete article requires additional steps. Check to see if Penn State has access to the electronic version by conducting an E-Journal Title Search (note: This may take you to a publisher's site where you have to search your journal title again or it may take you to an aggregator database where you would also search again). See if Penn State owns the print version by searching the journal title in the BROWSE mode of the CAT.

For Additions to "How to Find an Article," contact Instructional Programs.

The Pennsylvania State University @ 2003
Last updated February 11, 2004.
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U.Ed. LIB 02-108