An article is a short publication, usually focused on a sub-topic and published with other articles in a journal, magazine, newspaper, or website. Articles can be primary, secondary, or tertiary sources. Articles can be in print or online formats. We have access to millions of online articles through our databases. To find an article, search using the key words from your topic, by author names, or browse through issues of a journal. You may be asked to use peer reviewed or scholarly articles which are limiters you can select when searching.
Several of the article databases have apps for mobile devices:
Your assignments may ask you to use primary sources and/or scholarly sources.
The terms primary, secondary, and tertiary indicate the relationship between the author and the events described. A primary source is documentation from someone who personally witnessed or experienced them: ex. a diary, an interview, a report of an experiment. Primary sources are not always written texts!
Scholarly sources refers to the audience: not for general readers. Peer-reviewed refers to the scholarly process of review before publication. You can limit your searches to scholarly or peer-reviewed items.
Search in library databases and catalogs with the key words of your statement or question. It saves time to write these key words down, with a synonym for each, because you will refine them as you search. When you find a resource that you like, look at the subject tags on its record, and use those to find more. For more help on constructing searches see these Library Guides:
Browsing is slow but a good way to find a topic. We have printed issues of journals relevant to your classes that you can browse through; or use Publication Finder to find an online format journal in your subject area to browse:
Search or browse by Title or Topic for journals, newspapers, and conference proceedings that we subscribe to online. Most are full text. Recommended for starting a research project.
If you already have a topic statement or essential question, searching in our databases is the quickest way to find articles focused on your topic:
A multi-disciplinary database containing professional and peer-reviewed titles
Reference works, Scholarly journals, Trade publications, and important General interest magazines covering core academic subject areas. Help Guide available.
If you want to narrow your focus to a specific field like health sciences or African-American history, use the A-Z List of databases:
