This document provides guidance on finding scholarly articles through the library's online databases. It explains that peer-reviewed articles can be accessed through databases and that a librarian can help narrow or broaden search topics. Keywords rather than full sentences should be used in database searches. Boolean operators like AND and OR can refine searches by requiring both terms or allowing either. Scholarly journals and limiting to full-text can focus results. Basic searches use one keyword while advanced searches allow complex queries. An abstract summarizes an article while full text provides the entire piece. Interlibrary loan can obtain articles without full text. Librarians are available for assistance.

1. FINDING SCHOLARLY ARTICLES
By searching the Library databases

2. GENERAL INFORMATION
 Peer-reviewed, juried, or scholarly articles can
most easily be found through the Library’s
online databases.
 You may need to broaden or narrow your
topic to find the information you need for your
research. A librarian can help with this.
 The Library has both general and discipline-
specific databases. Be sure to choose the
one(s) that best suits your topic. Again, a
librarian is a great resource for this.

3. CHOOSING SEARCH TERMS
 The Library’s databases work differently than
Google or other search engines.
 You will not get good results if you use natural
language searching. (The electoral college should
be eliminated; presidential elections should be
decided by popular vote)
 Instead, you should do a keyword search.
 Do this by selecting the most important words from your
thesis statement. (“electoral college” “popular vote”
“presidential elections”)
 Keep phrases together by putting them in quotes, as
above.

4. ADVANCED SEARCHING
(USING THE BOOLEAN TERMS AND & OR)
EXAMPLE THESIS STATEMENT: THE ELECTORAL COLLEGE SHOULD BE ELIMINATED; PRESIDENTIAL ELECTIONS SHOULD
BE DECIDED BY POPULAR VOTE.
AND OR
 AND requires both words  OR allows either word to
be present in each hit. be present in each hit.
 Narrows your search.  Expands your search
 EXAMPLE:  EXAMPLE:
 “Presidential elections”: 5197  “Popular vote”: 1011 hits
hits  “Direct democracy”: 649
 “Electoral college”: 930 hits hits
 “Presidential elections” AND  “Popular vote” OR “direct
“electoral college”: 90 hits democracy”: 1642 hits
AND Venn diagram OR Venn diagram

5.  Some things to keep in mind:
 Scholarly (or peer-reviewed) journals
 Your professors will often expect you to use scholarly journal articles
in your research.
 Most of the Library’s databases will allow you to limit your search to
only this type of journal.
 Basic/Simple Search vs. Advanced Search
 Basic Search is best used when searching for one keyword or phrase.
 Advanced Search can be used for any type of search.
 Abstract vs. Full Text
 Not all of the articles that come up in your search will be full text.
Many will be abstracts only.
 An abstract is a brief summary of an article, kind of like a movie
trailer.
 Full-text means that you can access the entire article in either PDF or
HTML format.
 If the Library only has the abstract for an article you want, we can
get it for you from another library. Talk to a librarian about Interlibrary
Loan.
 This usually takes at least day or two, so plan in advance.

6. LOOKING AT A BASIC SEARCH PAGE
(USING ACADEMIC SEARCH PREMIER)
Choose your search type.
This shows which database you’re in.
Check this box
if you want to
limit your
search to ONLY
scholarly Check this box if you want to limit your search to ONLY
articles. articles with full text.
Academic Search Premier defaults to Basic Search.

7. LOOKING AT AN ADVANCED SEARCH PAGE
(USING ACADEMIC SEARCH PREMIER)
These drop- Multiple search boxes make it easier to conduct
down boxes complex searches.
contain Boolean
search terms.
Check this box Check this box if you want to limit your search to ONLY
if you want to articles with full text.
limit your
search to ONLY
scholarly
articles.

8. Contact the Information Desk:
Phone: 208-792-2236
Email: refdesk@lcsc.edu
IM: click the meebo link on our
homepage:
http://www.lcsc.edu/library/
NEED MORE HELP?
Ask a librarian!