To find articles, try the databases on this page, which will connect you with all kinds of sources. You will probably find a lot of information (but sometimes you find no information!). Be persistent, try various search terms, and above all, ask for help if you're stuck.
A good place to start research on most any subject. This multi-disciplinary database indexes nearly 8,050 publications and provides full text for nearly 4,600, including more than 3,900 peer-reviewed journals. Access is provided by eLibraryMN (ELM).
This search engine points toward scholarly research rather than all Web-based sources. It is stronger in the sciences than in the humanities, with social sciences somewhere in between. One interesting feature of Google Scholar is that in includes a link to sources that cite a particular item. Not all of the articles in Google Scholar are free; the library can obtain many of them for you through Interlibrary loan.
Once you've identified an interesting article, look to see if the full text is there. If not, follow these steps:
If an article is not available in full text or in print, request it through interlibrary loan, using your Gustavus account login to identify yourself. This generally means it will be scanned in for you at another library. An e-mail message will be sent to you with a URL and pin number to retrieve it. Though these scanned articles are sometimes are available within 24 hours, they can take longer. Plan ahead.
Sometimes you come across a footnote with an article that looks interesting. You don't need to turn to a database to find it. Check the title of the magazine or journal (not the article title) from the journal locator. If it is not available to us at Gustavus, log in to your library account and fill out an interlibrary loan request.
As you can see, tracking down the hard copies of materials can be tricky! Need help? Contact a librarian!
Below are a few examples of subject-specific databases. For more, visit our Research Guides by subject.
Covers research in all areas of biological science, including animal behavior, biomedicine, zoology, ecology, and others. Coverage is from 1982 to the present. Includes abstracts and citations, as well as access to thousands of full text titles.
Citations and abstracts to articles from more than 1300 international journals in psychology and related fields, going back to 1840. Covers all areas of psychology, including experimental, developmental, communications, social processes and issues, personality, physical and psychological disorders, professional issues, applied psychology, educational psychology, and behavioral literature in such related fields as law, business and medicine. Also includes citations for books and chapters.
Academic Search Premier covers not only academic journals but also popular magazines, including the scientific journalism magazines listed below. They can be useful sources since they're usually more concise than articles in academic journals and use less technical language.
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