Graduate Students' Guide to Library Resources and Services

• Choose a database that focuses on your topic. You can browse databases or choose a subject from the drop-down menu. Our Research Guides point you to the best databases by discipline.
• Search the database. Use keyword (often the default setting) or subject searching with your topic terms to find articles. The index will locate citations related to your topic. An abstract or summary is often provided and sometimes the full text of the article is available. Tips for online searching.
• Access your search results. Your results screen will display a list of brief citations sorted by date or relevancy. In most databases clicking on the title will reveal a complete citation and a summary.

You may already have a citation for a source from your professor's recommendation or another source. This is how you would locate the source.

Method 1

On the UC Libraries page paste your article title in the red search box. If this is an exact title enclose it in quotation marks to avoid irrelevant hits.

If the title is short and/or common, add the author's name and/or journal title.

Summon, our metasearch tool, will return results with links to online full text.

You can also use advanced Summon search.

Method 2 (for articles and journals)

• On the UC Libraries page click the Journals tab in the red search box. Alternatively you can use the search box on the Journals page of this guide. E-Journals advanced search page.
• Type in as much of the journal title as you want.
  (Please note: this search option is for JOURNAL titles, not articles titles)!
• Click "Search." The result will indicate which database/index to search for full text. Check the dates carefully to make sure the year you need is available electronically.

• If an electronic version of the journal title or the desired issues it is not available electronically, you must then search the Library Catalog for a print issue. On the library record screen for the journal title note the location and call number of the journal. Please note that current issues are often found in a different location than bound journals.

Method 3

• Use the "Citation Linker" form. You need to provide as much information as possible. Go to UC Article Linker FAQ for more information.

Find books and e-books

Find articles

Find journals

Find theses and dissertations

In some databases full text will follow the citation. In most instances for accessing full text you will have to look for icons that may look like this:

If you don't see those icons or links don't work, look for the ArticleLinker button or "Find Full Text at UC" link. The button or link will take you to the tool that searches for full text articles in library database. Learn how this tool works and how to make the most of it: ArticleLinker FAQ.

If the article is not available online ArticleLinker will suggest searching the library catalog for a print version or ordering the article via ILLiad (interlibrary loan):

When requesting items not available at UC, click the appropriate Interlibrary Loan form and login to your account with your UC Central Login username and password. If you have not used ILLiad before, you will be asked to fill out a profile. For a seamless experience, do this first. Once you are logged in, the article request form will be automatically populated with the article bibliographic information.

 Search the library catalog

 Tips

• Use AUTHOR search to find text by the author and selected materials about the author. Author search tips.
• Use SUBJECT search to find materials about your author, subject, etc. Subject search tips.
• Use KEYWORD search if you need to combine several concepts. The advanced keyword search screen also allows you to specify in which field your term should be found and limit your search to certain material types, by language, etc. Keyword search tips.

Other catalogs

The subject librarian in your research area can help you determine the best databases and resources for your topic.

Research Guides in various subjects contain links to major sources in your field with descriptions and search tips.