[Type here]
Finding Journal Articles
Last updated: August 2016
This document and other Information Services documents are
held online on our website: https://staff.brighton.ac.uk/is
University of Brighton Information Services
Contents
1
Starting out ...................................................................................................... 3
2
Using the Online Library................................................................................... 3
3
Constructing your search strategy: ................................................................... 4
4
Tips for Searching Databases .......................................................................... 4
5
Locating full text ............................................................................................... 6
Selecting relevant articles ......................................................................... 6
Google Scholar ......................................................................................... 6
6
Page | 2
Evaluate ........................................................................................................... 7
last update 2016
Finding Journal Articles
Starting out
 What question are you trying
to answer?
 What do you already know?
 How extensive is the assignment?
 What do you want to exclude?
Online Library – access via
StudentCentral
Google Scholar –
http://scholar.google.co.uk
Using the Online Library
Using OneSearch
Use OneSearch to search
multiple online resources for
information about books, ebooks, and journal articles.
Know the journal title?
Use the library catalogue to see if the
University has access or use the Online
Journal Finder to find an online journal by
title.
Using subject databases
Use a subject database for a thorough literature search. These
databases contain references to thousands of articles on specific
topics, and will allow you to search much more widely and
systematically.
How do I know which one to use?
To find relevant databases select Subject Guides from the Online
Library and choose your subject area. You will find a list of relevant
resources, advice and contact details for further help.
Printed Tuesday, 02 August 2016
Page | 3
University of Brighton Information Services
Constructing your search strategy:






Analyse your topic – identify key concepts
Identify synonyms and similar terms
Put expressions in (..) or “…”
Field searching – author, title, keyword, publication type etc.
Use truncation to increase recall, e.g. manag *
Use AND, OR, NOT (Boolean searching)
OR expands search results
e.g. Chocolate OR Cake
AND limits search results
e.g. Chocolate AND Cake
NOT limits search results
e.g. Chocolate NOT cake
Tips for Searching Databases
These are general search tips that can be used with the majority
of databases and search engines; it is also a good idea to read
the search tips or help section provided for the database you are
using.
•
Page | 4
Use the symbol * to truncate the stem of a word:
last update 2016
Finding Journal Articles
comput* would find computers / computing /
computation / computerisation
ethic* would find ethic / ethical / ethics
gender* would find gendered / genders / genderisation /
genderise / genderless
manag* would find
manage/manager/management/managing
•
Many databases use symbols, known as wild cards,
to represent letters. Use these to ensure you find
alternative spellings.
Remember alternative spellings and try both or use wildcards as
above, eg:
UK English: organisation / US English: organization (Search:
organi?ation)
UK English: programme / US English: program (Search:
program*)
UK English: behaviour / US English: behavior
•
Remember some words / phrases can be appear with or
without hyphens so a search for multi-media might find
different documents than a search for multimedia
•
Identify synonyms and similar terms.
Synonyms: think laterally and try different words / terms that
have the same or similar meanings, eg:
safe/ secure / privacy / security
research/ study / investigation / inquiry / examination
time/ duration/cycle/season/
landscape/ countryside/ panorama/ scenery/ environment
Printed Tuesday, 02 August 2016
Page | 5
University of Brighton Information Services
•
•
Use quotation marks around a group of words to mean a
phrase, e.g.: "age discrimination" will only retrieve
documents that contain that phrase. You may have the
option to treat the search term(s) either as a phrase or as
separate key words.
1.
Using AND, OR or NOT is known as Boolean searching
and is a standard and easy way to narrow or expand a
search
•
Most databases have the facility to limit your search by
date, language, format or type of publication.
•
Use the citations that are listed at the end of a relevant
article to lead you to other useful resources. When you
find a useful article, look to see what key terms were
used to index it; there may be some you haven't thought
of.
Locating full text
If there is no link to the pdf of a journal article, use the
Findit@Brighton link to see if we hold the journal either
online or in print. If there is no access then you may be able to
obtain a copy of the article via the Interlibrary Loans Service
accessible via the link in the library catalogue.
Selecting relevant articles
Select the results by marking the ones that you are most interested in you can save,
print or email this marked list or export the bibliographic details to
reference management
software such as Endnote.
Google Scholar
To ensure the ‘Findit@Brighton’ button appears when you use
Google Scholar off campus, select Settings and in the Library
Links box, type in University of Brighton and click Find
Library. Check the box next to University of Brighton – Find it
Page | 6
last update 2016
Finding Journal Articles
@Brighton. Your results will then display that link when you
search using Google Scholar
Evaluate
 Accuracy: Can you check the facts? Is there additional
information such as data, tables, and references?
 Authority: Is the author a qualified professional in the field? Are
they affiliated to a university or institution?
 Coverage: Is the subject covered in depth? Who is the intended
audience – academics, students, the public?
 Currency: How up to date is the information?
 Evidence: Check the author’s references.
 Relevance: Is it what you need?
 Reliability: What methodology was used? Has it been peerreviewed?
 Validity: Is it opinion, or arguments based on fact? Does it have a
bias?
Useful contacts
Aldrich Library:
Falmer Library:
Hastings Campus Library:
Queenwood Library:
St. Peter’s House Library:
Printed Tuesday, 02 August 2016
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]
Page | 7