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How to do library research: Quick Article How-To

Quick Article Finding

Need to quickly grab a journal article on a basic topic?  No worries - we can help!

Follow the handful of steps below to gain a quick & basic understanding of what you need to do to get exactly what you need!

Quick Article Finding Steps

 

Our SU Libraries All Types box is the best spot when you want to quickly "grab and go"!  

SU Libraries quick search box

    

All you need to do is type in the basics of what you are looking for (for more information on the best way to do this, check out our Develop Keywords tab!) and hit the Search! box.  

 

quick search box

The results that come back will be everything we can find for you within our All Types search system - this will include some books, journal articles, and more - even DVDs and online videos!  

To be sure that you are looking at only what you want, take advantage of the "limiter" boxes on the left side of the page, and check off the Articles option - this will only show you what journal articles we have access to on the topic you entered.

 

article limiter box

 

Once you have limited your results to just journal articles, you can either limit it further (for example choose "Peer-reviewed", or "downloadable article") or simply look over the search results that you have on your initial page.

 

 

Once you see a journal article that looks good, click on the blue text of the article title to take a better look at it.  In this case, we're checking out the journal article titled "Fruit and Vegetable Intake, Stages of Change and Self-Efficacy: A Comparison Between German and American College Students", from 20007.  

 

Clicking on the purple Access Online button gives you more information about article's full text availability.  

 

(Full text = the article in its entirety, in instant & free electronic form!)  

 

In this case, we can get instant full-text access through one of the databases that we - as a library - have paid for, which means that you get instant access to the article you need for free!  

 

Upon clicking the purple Access Online button, the article will show up, frequently in downloadable/savable PDF format.  From there you can either save the article, email it to yourself, or print it if you need a paper copy.....  

 

article with download pdf full text link

 

Repeat as often as you need!

If you need more specific, or advanced articles, check out our 2nd short tutorial that walks you through how to get articles that meet specific requirements:  like those that are peer reviewed; published in the last 5 years; found in a specific journal, etc.