Where to Search
Use Research Databases to find articles on your topic.
Geography databases are most likely where you will research, but other subjects may also be helpful, especially the Multi-Subject Databases.
Many of the articles contain full-text, meaning that the actual article is available in the database.
Databases contain proprietary content from a variety of scholarly journals, conference proceedings, books, dissertations, and more.
Some databases contain content from only one publisher, such as Elsevier or Wiley, while others have content, or index articles, from a variety of publishers.
Periodical List
- Periodical List
You can search for a specific journal/magazine/newspaper title using Periodical List.
LinkSource checks our other databases to find a copy of your article in one of our other databases. Sometimes you'll see this image:
| Google Scholar |
Google Scholar can be a useful tool when collecting research information. Settings can be updated to display:
Library Links - FindIt@Txstate
Bibliography Manager - EndNote (refers to Desktop EndNote)
- Ulrich'sTo find out if a journal is considered Refereed/Peer-Reviewed, check the Ulrich's database by doing a search for the title of the journal. Many library databases allow searches to be limited to articles published in Peer-Reviewed journals.
How to Search
Search by keywords and small phrases.
Maximize your keyword searches with Boolean searching:
AND
|
aquifer AND drought | all words must appear in the result list |
OR
|
streamflow OR stream measurement
|
either word may appear in the results.
|
NOT
|
San Marcos NOT California
|
must have San Marcos, but excludes items with California
|
Use "quotation marks" to search for phrases.
Use the database’s "help" feature to find the syntax for advanced searches. This varies by database
Consider truncation. The asterisk (*) symbol is used most often.
Typing in stand* will give results containing: stands, standing, standards, standardize, and etc.
Try using the database’s subject or descriptor terms. Those are listed in the database’s thesaurus, or they may be listed near the article abstract. These can be useful for learning the preferred vocabulary of a discipline.
Start Your Research
-
Tab 1: Start Yor Research: search all types of content including articles, books, ebooks, streaming media, dissertations, and more from many different publishers and vendors.
-
Tab 2: Articles: If your assignment requires you to find a Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed article and you need it fast, use the Articles tab and check off the box and the Scholarly/Peer-Reviewed box.
-
Tab 3: Books & More: If you only want to search the library catalog for all the books, ebooks, DVDs, streaming media and many other materials that it contains, some of which are physically in the library and NOT online, then use the Books & More tab. This will NOT search for magazine, newspaper, journal of other types of articles from the library subscribed databases. You can always search the authentic Library Catalog if you want more options for material types to search.
-
Tab 4: Use the Periodicals tab to search for a particular magazine, newspaper, journal title or other periodical that the library subscribes to. You might want to do this if you want to see the latest issue of your favorite magazine or if you are trying to find a specific article that your professor assigned.
-
Tab 5: Use the Reserve tab to get to E-Reserve if your professor has put something there and told you to find it. OR you can search what is on here at the library, rather than online. This could be copies of old tests or textbooks your professor has put on reserve for you to borrow.