Article Full Text and Databases

For academic research, use ORU databases to easily and efficiently find scholarly articles.

You Choose What to Search
Databases contain groups of publications and may include full text, abstracts or citations from peer reviewed journals, popular magazines, book reviews, and more. You can choose a subject database or a multidisciplinary database.

Databases Have Special Features
If your research requires scholarly or peer-reviewed articles you can choose to use database limiters such as "date" or "peer-reviewed."

Databases Provide Citation Tools  
Get citations in various formats to copy and paste into your works cited list, bibliography or reference list. See Citation Tools. (Note: Always check citations with the print manual and your professors requirements.)

Databases Include Information Management Tools  
Create your personal accounts, such as the ebrary Bookshelf or EBSCO Folder, to store and manage what you find.

Notes:

• Some databases include full text while others have only citations and abstracts, such as Academic Search Complete and Christian Periodical Index, respectively.
• Article full text may be in HTML, PDF, linked full text, print, etc.
• If the article full text is not available in the database you are using, another database may have the full text or it may be elsewhere in the ORU Library. Use the "check for full text" or similar link to find it.
• If the article you need is not available at ORU you may request it through the Library Interlibrary Loan Service.

Find Articles - On a Topic or Subject

1  Select a database.

• The database list provides an alphabetical or category list of databases.
• Library subject research guides list subject specific article databases, ebooks, ereference, ejournals and more.

2  Enter your search query.
Type keywords or concepts from your thesis statement and other significant words that describe your topic. Search appropriate fields, such as subject, keyword, scripture, people, company entity; browse and search the subject headings or thesauri; or try an EBSCO visual search.

3  Choose an article and access the full text.
Click HTML, PDF, Linked Full text or similar option, as in the examples below.

ScienceDirect record:

EBSCOhost record:

If full text links are not available, click the Check for Full Text (or similar) link to see if the article is available elsewhere in the Library.

Several options will appear:
• If a journal/magazine title, database name(s) and/or article link is displayed, then follow the links to the full text.

• If an Oral Roberts University Catalog link is an option, then the journal title is in the library but not necessarily the article. The Library may not have the date you need so click the link to see the library's holdings. Record or print the holdings information, including format (microform, CD-ROM, hard-copy) and location to find the article.

• If there is no link, then the article is not available in full text. There may be a link to an ILL request form. If you need the article, you may request it through Interlibrary Loan (ILL) using the link within the database or complete and submit the online ILL form. Note: There is usually a small fee for ILL materials.

4  Evaluate your results. Refine your search accordingly.
Limit by date, peer reviewed items, or subject. Add additional key words. Store and manage your articles, if possible.

Find an Article - Using a CITATION

To find an article when you have a citation, first identify if ORU has the periodical for the date you need then simply follow the links to the article full text. If the article is not available at ORU, you may choose to request it through Interlibrary Loan.

 

1  Go to the A-to-Z Journals List.

2  Search the periodical title.
In the Find text box type title keywords or the exact title for the journal, magazine, newspaper, etc. (NOT article title).
Tip: If you know the exact title be sure to mark Search Type: Exact Match.

3  Get the article.
Once you find the periodical title you will need to get the article:

a. If the article date you need is available in a database, click the database link then follow the links to access the date/issue you need. Browse to find the article title then click the HTML, PDF or similar full text link.

b. If the periodical is available in the ORU Library (print/hard-copy, microfilm or CD-rom) record the format, location and call number to find the item in the library.

Find an Article - Using "PART" OF A CITATION

You may want to find an article but know only part of the citation information. For example, you may know the journal name and the article content or author's name but not the article title nor publication date. Or, you may know the article subject, author and/or approximate publication date but not the journal name.

If you know the journal name AND...

Publication Date

1  Go to A-to-Z Journals List.

2  Search the journal/magazine title.

3  Under the title, click a link to access the journal/magazine record.

4  Follow the links to locate the date you need. Browse the list of articles to find the one you need.

Subject or Author

Follow steps #1, #2 and #3 above.

4  If available, click and use the Search within this publication link (shown below). Type your subject, author or keywords, and then browse the list of article titles

 

 

If you do NOT know the journal name use ORU's mega search to simultaneously query multiple databases from multiple vendors.

1  Go to OneSearch.

2  Select one or several databases to search.
As in the example at the right, a sociology database from SAGE and one from EBSCOhost have been selected.

3  Use Advanced Search
in the database(s) to select appropriate fields (author, keyword, title, etc.) then type as much information as you know. Note: To search an exact title, type the title words within quotation marks.

4  Follow the link(s) to the full text.

 

 

Library research guide: FindPeriodicals (Journals, Magazines, etc.)

Article - Formats and Location in the Library

If an article is not available full text (HTML, PDF or similar) in the database(s) you are using, it may be elsewhere in the library. For example, in addition to full text online, articles are available in current issues, bound volumes and on microfilm and CD-ROM.

Hard Copy: Print/Paper Single issues and multiple volumes or issues bound together for easier storage. CURRENT ISSUES Location: Periodical area, arranged alphabetically by title in the bins along the wall by the GC/LRC doors. To Find Current Issues: Browse the shelves for the Journal/magazine title then look for the issue. BOUND VOLUMES Location: Periodical area, arranged by call number on the shelves. To Find Bound Volumes: 1) Find the journal title and date you need in the library catalog. 2) Record the call number and date or volume/issue numbers to find the journal or magazine on the shelves.

Microfilm A strip of film wound on a spool that contains images of the journal/magazine pages. Location:Periodical area. Arranged by call number, then volume and issue numbers, in the microfilm file cabinets along the wall. To Find Microfilm: In the library catalog record, print or record the call number and date or volume and issue numbers that you need. Go to the microfilm cabinets and find the item. Microform readers are available to review articles, print them or save the article in PDF format then email it.

CD-ROM   Some articles may ONLY be available on CD-ROM, as noted in the library catalog journal title record. Location: The CD-ROM computer in the Periodical Area, by the bound periodical stacks. Note:CD-ROM is only available for use in the Library.

Assistance is available at the Reference Desk.