Journal Articles

List of Articles

Help! I’ve got a list of articles I need to read . . . what do I do next?

If you have a citation like the one below from the bibliography at the back of a book, or the end of an article, course notes, internet search, etc. follow these steps:

1. Confirm that it is a citation to an article by making sure it includes:

• Article Title: Speaking as scientists: computer professionals in the star wars debate.
• Journal Title: History and Technology
• Volume: 99
• Issue: 4
• Page: 335-

2. If your citation has an abbreviated title (e.g., Bull at Sci, J. Appl. Econom), cut and paste the title into Google or consult the Science & Engineering Journal Abbreviations list to discover the complete title.

3. Once you know the full title of the journal, do a Journal Search from the UBC Library homepage

4. Enter your journal title and click Search.

5. After you search, you will likely get a result similar to the one below. Make sure that the date range next to the database you choose includes the year of the journal issue you are looking for. Click on the name of the database to browse for the journal article. If none of them match the date you want, try the UBC Print Holdings link to see what the library has in print.

On a Topic

I need to find articles for my project and I don’t know where to start!

Article Indexes & Databases contain articles from scholarly journals, popular magazines, newspapers, conference proceedings, etc., and in some cases, chapters of books.

Most indexes include the full text of some or all the articles they index. When no full text is included, you will see . UBC Elink searches all of the print and electronic resources available at UBC library. Follow the links to full text online or print copies, where available.

Indexes and databases are provided commercially and not specifically tailored for the UBC Library; you will find references to articles not in the UBC Library's print or electronic collections.

Sample Search: Youth and Voting

1. Choose an Article Index or Database

• Go to the UBC Library Home Page
• Choose Research Guides
• Choose the general subject area, e.g. Arts (Humanities and Social Sciences)
• (Choose a sub-area if appropriate, e.g. Political Science)
• Look for the tab that says "Articles" or "Indexes and Databases"

2. Search the index

• Enter keyword(s) for your subject area, e.g. voting and youth
• Start the search

3. Get the article

• Look for terms like Link to full text, HTML full text, PDF full text:

Full text available

• If no full text is available inside the database, you will see (in some databases UBC eLink with no icon). UBC eLink searches behind the scenes for full text in other indexes and databases to which UBC subscribes and can also check if we own it in print.

• If UBC Library subscribes to the online version of the journal, you'll see a screen like the one below
• Click on the title of the article link to get the full text

Full text not available online

• If no full text is available online, but may be in the UBC Library print collection, UBC eLink will take you to a screen that looks like the one below
• Click on Search UBC Library Catalogue link to look for the journal in print

Course Reserve

My prof said a photocopy of the article is on course reserve. Where do I go?

Course reserve materials leave the library on short term loans (e.g. 2 hours for articles, 1-3 days for books). Instructors place items on course reserve to be sure that each student in a course has access to the materials.

If you have a citation like the one below from a course reading list and your instructor has indicated that it is on short-term loan in Course Reserve, first, check to see if the article has recently been posted online. Try Google, Google Scholar, and/or search for the article in UBC Library's ejournal collection.

Wheelis M. Dando M. Back to bioweapons? Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists. Jan/Feb 2003. 59:40

If it's not available online, follow these steps to get a copy of the article:

1. Go to the Library Home Page
2. Under the Find menu, choose Course Materials (see image below)
3. Enter the four character subject code and three digit course number (see image below). Click search.
   
4. Use the drop down menus to search by course, instructor, section or any combination
5. Select Click here to check to see a list of items on short term loan for the course.
6. Scroll through the list until you see the article.
7. Note the call number, and library location (e.g. ANTH407 Koerner Library).
8. Go to the library and read or photocopy the article. Articles on course reserve are in file folders in the course reserve section of each library.

Interlibrary Loan

I already did a search, and UBC Library doesn’t have it.

• Request the item via InterLibrary Loan (ILL)
• Library staff search catalogues of other libraries to find the article you need and request that a copy be sent to UBC Library for you to pick up. This service is free to UBC students, faculty or staff for academic research materials.

OR

• Search ELN Serials, a catalogue of journals, newspapers, and magazines in BC Libraries
• Visit a local library that has a copy (e.g. SFU, Vancouver Public Library, etc.) Most libraries do not permit anyone to check out journals, magazines or newspapers.