How to Do Research

To find articles in a library, you'll need to use a database. Databases are indexes that help you locate articles within magazines and journals. These databases provide you with records containing brief bibliographic information (the author, title, journal, date published). Some records also give you an abstract, which is a brief description of the article. Some provide you with a link to the full text of the article, although not all magazine and journal articles are available through the computer.

There are many databases that libraries can pay to access. Check with a librarian at your local library to find out what databases you can access there, and ask for assistance in learning how to search a database.

Kentucky residents that have a library card from a Kentucky library are eligible to use the databases available through the Kentucky Virtual Library. KYVL provides online access to the full-text of a wide variety of journals and magazines.

To find journal and magazine articles via the Kentucky Virtual Library:

• Click on Find Books, Articles, and more. If the computer you are using is not located in a Kentucky library (for example, you home computer), you will be prompted for a user ID and password. Kentucky residents can obtain an ID and password from a local library. Users outside Kentucky can access on the Kentucky library catalogs and a few free databases by clicking on Guest.
• Once you have logged in with a valid ID and password, you can select a database group.
• Enter your topic in the search box.
• Click on GO!
• Click on the title of the article about which you would like more information.
  

If the full-text of the article is available, you will see either an HTML icon or a PDF icon on the screen. (Your browser will read an .html file, but you will need to have Acrobat Reader on your computer to read a .pdf file).

• Click on the icon to view the article and print it out.

If you locate an article online but the full-text of the article is not available, ask your local library to request it for you.

If you can't locate the article you are looking for, ask a librarian!

• kyvl@mail.state.ky.us, or
  
• Call toll-free 1-877-588-5288 (M-F, 8:00AM - 5:00PM, EST), or
  
• Fill out the online inquiry form, or
  
• Visit your nearest library.

Unit 2: Finding Articles: 2 of 3

Why Articles | How to Find Articles! | How to Cite Articles

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Last updated: Tuesday, 20-Aug-2002 15:19:39 EDT