Accessing Databases
You may be a pro at searching Google! However, Google and Wikipedia are not accepted as resources to write a research paper. You will still need to learn and use the library databases. You can access the databases in several different ways including direct links from course guides.
When accessing databases from off-campus you will be taken to a login screen. You will need to use your SU username and password to access the databases.
The following may be the simplest way to do it.
- From the SU Resource Finder (SURF) on the SU Libraries homepage, use the pull down menu to select Databases.
- If you know the database you want to search, simply type that in.
- You can also Browse Databases by Subject or Name
eJournals
SU Libraries either own or has access to many eJournals. Click on the Journals from the pull-down menu on SURF (from the library homepage).
However, if you don't find the fulltext of the article that you are looking for or need an article that is from a print journal located in Library, you can always request it through the Digitization Services (check the Getting Articles & More tab).
Suggested Databases
Since you are in specific disciplines, you will need to search subject specific databases. You can access those from the library's homepage. Some suggested databases you might find helpful:
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Academic Search Ultimate This link opens in a new windowOffers access to an unprecedented collection of resources including journals, magazines, reports, books, and videos. Many are peer-reviewed and full-text. Subjects range from astronomy to zoology.
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APA PsycInfo This link opens in a new windowProvides access to a comprehensive index for publications in psychology and related fields, containing more than 1.7 million citations and abstracts of journal articles, book chapters and books, technical reports, and dissertations.
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ArticleFirst This link opens in a new windowIs an OCLC index of articles from the contents pages of over 12,000 journals.
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BioMed Central This link opens in a new windowIs an open access platform publishing peer-reviewed journals in the areas of biomedicine, life sciences, and biology.
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eBook Collection (EBSCO) This link opens in a new windowA collection of E-texts covering topics specifically chosen by Maryland Academic Libraries.
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Humanities International Complete This link opens in a new windowProvides full text of hundreds of journals, books & other published sources from around the world. This database includes data from American Humanities Index & Humanities International Index.
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JSTOR (including ARTSTOR) This link opens in a new windowProvides full-text access to a broad range of resources about the humanities, sciences, and social sciences, including primary sources, images, articles, and books. Does not contain the most recent journal articles.
Find It Button
What does that cute little Find It Button do anyway?
It's a bit like magic, really! The Find It button does three things:
- Looks in all of our databases to see if the document you want is available full-text in another of our databases. If so, it links you to it!
- Links you to the library catalog when we have the item you want in print or microform.
- Links you to interlibrary loan system so you can borrow the item from another library if we don't have access electronically or in print.
- If we have the article in a print journal, we will scan it and send it to our distance students!
The Find It Button is your friend!
Here's a screenshot of an example of Find It from a citation in Academic Search Ultimate:
