Find Articles

Use these links to access databases and online journals:

Journal Articles

Journal articles are a form of scholarly publishing that allow scholars and researchers to focus in on a very specific topic, generally from a single perspective. Journal articles are about the length of a book chapter, so they are published more quickly and more frequently than books. Articles tend to present the most recent developments and trends in a given field, and scholarly articles go through a rigorous process of peer-review before they are published.

Databases/Indexes

In the same way that books can be found in a library's catalog, articles can be found by searching an online article database, also called an index. Databases generally work the same way as a library catalog: you have multiple options for searching, you can limit results, and the entries point you to where you can find a particular article.

The important thing to know about databases is that they are bought by the library, and the information in them is not available freely on the Web. This means that the information held in databases cannot be found through Internet search engines like Google/Google Scholar or Bing. The majority of these articles can only be found through searching databases.

There are a few different types of databases:

• Article Index vs. Full Text Database: While all databases are article indexes, some only provide you with a citation and abstract (summary) of the article, and others provide you with the online full text of articles, either in HTML or PDF format. For an article index that does not provide full text, you'll need to use the citation information to find a copy.
• General vs. Subject Databases: Some databases, like Academic Search Complete, cover a wide range of disciplines. These are best used in entry level courses, or when you're just beginning research on a topic. Subject databases, like Sociological Abstracts, focus in on a particular subject area. A subject database will have deeper coverage of a field than can be found in a general database. You can search or filter your search by subject in the A-Z List of Databases.

Accessing Databases at Knox

You can access all databases at Knox from anywhere on campus through the library's website:

• A-Z List of Databases: an alphabetical listing of databases you can view by Subject and/or Source Type.

If you're not on campus, you can still access all of the databases and their materials. Just make sure that you enter the database through the library's website, and you'll be prompted to sign in with Knox ID and password.

Searching Databases

Databases follow the same general search rules as library catalogs, but may offer more advanced searching and limiting features. Check out the Academic Search Complete tab for tips on searching that database. Academic Search Complete is a general database that carries a lot of full text articles, so it's a good place to start your research.

If you are looking for tips on searching other databases, check out one of the library's subject research guides or meet with a librarian!