Finding Journal Articles

To find journal articles, use one of the journal article indexes (you'll also hear us call them electronic databases or just "databases").

To use CSUDH databases when you're off campus: 

1.  You must be a current CSUDH student, faculty member or staff member.

2.  Adobe Acrobat Reader software (v. 7.0 or later) must be installed on
      your computer.
      Many articles are available only in .pdf (portable document format) format;
      you need Adobe Acrobat Reader to read and/or print them.
      Get the latest version of Adobe Acrobat Reader free at       http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readstep.html

• For detailed information on how to log in to CSUDH Electronic databases, click here.
• For an overview of how to use CSUDH databases to find journal articles, click here.
• To limit your results to peer reviewed articles, look for the words "scholarly" and/or "peer reviewed" and place a check in the box beside these words.
  
• Click on a link below to access the database of your choice or use our comprehensive list of Article Indexes to see all available CSUDH databases.

Back to Top

Finding Journal Articles about a Topic

When you don't already have a citation or reference to a specific journal article, find articles by using one of our article indexes (you'll also hear us call them databases).

For a review of how to use the databases to find journal articles, click here.
To limit your results to peer reviewed articles, look for the words "scholarly" and/or "peer reviewed" and place a check in the box beside these words before you begin searching.

• ERIC: Comprehensive database covering a wide range of education subjects; includes both journal articles and miscellaneous educational materials.
  
  
• Education Full Text: covers varying runs of over 600 education publications.
  
• Academic Search Premier: Multi-disciplinary database with full text for over 4500 publications, many of which are peer-reviewed journals; often used as a starting point since it covers a wide range of subject areas.
  
  
• PsycINFO: citations and abstracts to scholarly journals in psychology and related disciplines; many references to education-related topics.
  
  
• JSTOR: long back runs of 50 classic education journal titles.
  
  
• Wiley InterScience: full text of over 30 journals; be sure to
  Limit to Subject: Education.

Back to Top

Thesaurus
(locates correct descriptors/subject headings to use in search)  

• Locate a Thesaurus button or link on the screen (sometimes the button or link will be called "Subject Headings" or "Subject Index", depending on the database you are using.)
  Type a word or phrase for which you would like to identify a subject heading
  into the appropriate box.
  Sometimes you can click on the suggested search term to see a note that defines the term as it is used in the database, as well as a list of narrower, broader and related terms.
  Either copy down useful descriptors/subject headings or cut and paste them into
  the search screen where you are working.
• You can also find valid descriptors listed in a column to the left of most sets of search results.
  
  Back to Top

Summary of Searching (applies to most databases)

• Enter your search terms.
• (Optional) Focus your search by choosing a Field Code from the "All Fields"
  dropdown box on each line you use. 
  e.g.: to search for the subject "cooperative learning", enter it in the Find field, and click
  on SU-Descriptor.
• Enter additional search terms in the optional search fields.
• Connect multiple search terms with connector words (AND, OR, NOT) to create a very broad or a very narrow search.
  Tip: Put all OR search terms that belong together
        (e.g. middle school OR junior high OR  intermediate school)
        into the same "Find" box on one line.      
  
• Select other appropriate search limiters and "broadeners" (click on check boxes
  beside options, located just below boxes where you entered your search terms).

Back to Top

Finding a Specific Journal Article

* Whenever you already have a reference or citation to a specific journal article, find out if the Library subscribes to the journal you need by entering the journal title into the CSUDH Journals List.
The CSUDH Journals List will help you locate both online and print journal articles as well as older articles that may be available in the CSUDH Library in bound volumes or on microfilm.

For more detailed help finding a known article, visit the
Find a Specific Article tutorial.

Back to Top

• Use the Library's ToroFind catalog to search for books by author, title or subject.
  In addition to finding materials available in the CSUDH Library, you will find links
  that allow you to directly request books from other libraries ("All CSUs Catalog" and
  LINK+ buttons). Links are provided below for other local libraries and libraries worldwide:
  
  • ToroFind: CSUDH Online Catalog Southern California Libraries (links to academic, public and special libraries) Library of Congress Online Catalog
  • LIBWEB (includes links to libraries in over 125 countries)
    
    Back to Top

Interlibrary Loan (Request item from another library)

    If the CSUDH Library does NOT own a specific journal or book you need:
- -fill out an appropriate online ILL form at http://library.csudh.edu/ill.htm  
   and submit an electronic request.
  You will be notified by email when the item you need has been received.
or
--submit an Interlibrary Loan request at the Reference Desk on the Library 2^nd floor

               A print or electronic copy of the requested item will be obtained from another
               library, but may take as long as 7 to 14 days to arrive.
               Note: books requested through LINK+ usually arrive within 2 to 4 days.

             
    Back to Top

The Internet

Google is still an outstanding search engine, but unless you know exactly what you are doing, it will lead you to millions of web pages on and off your topic as well as hundreds of subtopics.

Three tips:

• Try Google's Advanced Search page to refine your search. When using information from the web for projects and research papers, remember to evaluate the quality and reliability of the information.
  For evaluation criteria, try Five Criteria for Evaluating Web Pages
  (Cornell University Library) and
  Evaluating Information on the Web (Pasadena City College Library).
  
• Google Scholar lets you search some scholarly literature, including many peer reviewed articles,  but note that you may not be able to freely access the full text of the article.
  
  For scholarly literature, the Library databases listed above are usually a better
  option for beginning your research.
  
  Back to Top

Citing Your Sources

When writing a paper or completing a project for a class, you will usually be asked to provide a bibliography of all of the materials that you used. Make notes as you are doing research to keep track of sources of information you use.

Take a look at the Library's citation guide, Citing Your Sources, in advance so you'll know before you begin your research what information about each information source to gather. (Citing Your Sources is a tutorial that shows you how to cite books, articles, and web resources in APA, MLA, and Turabian formats).

Check with each professor to find out which citation format to use for papers in that class.

           Back to Top