How to Find Journal Articles

How to Locate Specific Journal Articles by Title or Author:  

Assuming that you are looking for articles that are either “full-text online” or available from the Miller Library’s print collection…   


A.      If you know the name of the journal (periodical or magazine)— 

a.      First determine whether or not the journal is available through the Miller Library.  Click on the “Journals List” on the Library homepage and search for the journal name.  This will indicate if the journal is available and the date is available.  If it is available in full-text online, it will indicate which databases—click on the link to be directly taken to that database.  

b.      Using the pull-down menus, enter the necessary information into the database search page—author or title—If known, type the journal name (source) and the date of the specific issue  

c.       If this doesn’t seem to work, ask for assistance; call (616-222-1458); or email the reference librarian at reference@cornerstone.edu    

   

     B. If you don’t know the name of the journal in which the article is found— 

 

a.      Select an appropriate database to search.  For suggestions, see the Subject Guide linked from the library’s homepage  Probably our largest, most diverse database, and the easiest to use, is First Search—a good place to start when in doubt. First Search is linked directly from the Library homepage. 

b.      If there is no box for entering the author or title, try using the Advanced Search mode.  If you find the citation for your article, note whether or not it is available  either in full text online or in the Miller Library’s print collection.  If it isn’t available this way, consider obtaining it through Interlibrary Loan (see below). 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  How to Search for Journal Articles on a Specific Subject:

A.      Select an appropriate database to search 

a.      For suggestions, please see Subject Guides at the Miller Library homepage. 

b.      This list will be helpful in deciding which database efficiently corresponds to various subjects, including databases within First Search.  

 

Subject

Recommended Database 

Bible  

ATLA Religion; Expanded Academic ASAP

 

Business  

ABI/INFORM; Lexis-Nexis; General Business; Emerald Full-text Journals; Wilson Business

Education

Eric, Wilson Select Plus 

English

Gale Literary Database; Expanded Academic ASAP; Lit Finder; Project Muse

History

History Study Center ; History E-Book Project, Ancestry Plus, Facts.com 

Kinesiology

Health & Wellness Resource Center and Alternative Health Module; Health Reference Center Academic; IDEAL; MEDLINE;

Math

Computer Database

Philosophy

Project Muse; ATLA Religion

Psychology

PsycINFO; IDEAL; PsycBooks; Expanded Academic ASAP 

Science

Annual Reviews; IDEAL

Social Work & Sociology

PsycINFO; Wilson Select Plus; Expanded Academic ASAP; Opposing Viewpoints

 

     B.      Experiment with various databases to find what works best for you 

 

 

 

 

 

a.      Using First Search, for example, you can either use the Basic Search page to enter a search term (i.e., ‘religious cults’), and then a sub-database (i.e., ATLA Religion) 

b.      Or you can “Jump to Advanced Search” where you have many more options—for example, in the Advanced mode of First Search, you can limit to “full-text” or “items in Miller Library,” or you can search by journal name (source). 

 

C.      Still having trouble?

 

a.      Contact the Reference Librarian on-duty in the Miller Library (ph: 616-222-1458) 

b.      Send an email for research assistance using the Ask a Librarian using the link on the Library homepage  

 

D.      Did you want a peer-reviewed article?

 

a.      See our Library Instruction page under Research (linked from Library homepage) for more details 

 

 

How to Get Materials NOT in Miller Library:

 

A.      Whether it’s a book or journal you’re looking for— 

 

a.      Be absolutely sure that Miller Library doesn’t already have it.  Ask a librarian to help you because some titles are cataloged differently than you might expect 

b.      If Miller Library does not have the title, consider suggesting it for library purchase—we take all suggestions seriously and will do our best to expedite your request.  Use the form Suggest an Item found on the Library Services link. 

 

B.      If you are willing to go after the book yourself, first check the catalogs of nearby libraries (Use the Search Other Libraries link using Quick Links on the Library homepage). 

 

a.      **note** Calvin College charges $15 for a guest card (last 6 months).  Also most libraries do not allow you to check out periodicals, though you may photocopy from them on site. 

 

C.      INTERLIBRARY LOAN ( ILL )--

 

a.      It’s a fast and free way to get materials!  Use ILL link in First Search after you find the title you want.  “World Cat” (within First Search) is a large catalog of virtually every book title, including out of print items.  

b.      When you find the item in “World Cat,” you can click on “Libraries That Own This Title” for a list of regional libraries, or simply click on the ILL tab for a request form. 

c.       You can also submit a request by logging on to Illiad after clicking on Interlibrary Loan.  Or call for a librarian to assist you in finding the closest available title. 

d.      In case of journal articles, sometimes they can be faxed to us within 24 hours if the need is urgent and if the lending library provides that service. 

e.      **note** Remember that in many cases, however, it may take up to 2 weeks to acquire a book from a distant library 

 

Updated June 2006