Start at the Library's Web Site
Spend your time wisely
Although your inclination may be to jump onto the web and search for articles using your favorite browser, there are several advantages to starting with indexes that your library has provided:
- Often the full text of the article will also be available for you to read, right on the spot. If you want an article that is not full-text, explore your library’s interlibrary loan service to get the article.
- Online indexes point to articles that are also available in print, which means they have gone through the publication cycle. That lends strength to their credibility.
- Online indexes provide several options for searching, from very simple to very advanced and focused.
- Online indexes usually include every article from every issue of the publication, for one or more years.
- Your library has paid for the rights to have the full-text made available to students, so it’s free to you.